My Faith Journey
Read Nehemiah 1:1 – 11
“Please, Lord, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name, and please make Your servant successful today and grant him mercy before this man.” (Nehemiah 1:11)
When the Babylonian captured Jerusalem, the temple and Jerusalem were destroyed, and the people were exiled to Babylon. After the exile, Ezra led a remnant back to rebuild the temple and Nehemiah led the remnant in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem.
Thy Will be Done on Earth as it is in Heaven (v.1-4)
It is part of God’s divine plan to bring His people back to Israel after 70 years of exile. Nehemiah, As cupbearer to King Artaxerxes of Persia, held a prominent position in the royal court. Nehemiah was far more than a mere servant, he knew he was placed in such a position for a purpose. When Jews who had survived the Babylonian captivity entered the Persian capital and encountered Nehemiah, he inquired about the people’s welfare in Jerusalem. They responded that the walls surrounding the city lay in ruins, the people felt disillusioned and weary, and the situation had become very depressing. His concern for the welfare of Jerusalem and its inhabitants prompted him to take bold action.
Nehemiah’s Prayer
Nehemiah acknowledged God for His greatness and faithfulness (v.5)
Nehemiah acknowledged and repented of sin committed against God, pleading personally and those of the people of Israel (v.6-7).
He recognized that it was their disobedience that led to this punishment of being exiled and God’s promise that if they repent and come back to God, God will gather them back (v.8-10).
He knew that God has placed him in such high position before the king for a reason and was prepared to use such privilege to bring about improving the welfare of His people.
Nehemiah’s request was for God to grant him success to fulfil God’s purpose before King Artaxerxes (v.11).
The month of Nisan (Nehemiah 2:1) and Kislev (v.1) was 4 months apart. Nehemiah would have prayed and prepared himself for God’s timing to execute His will. God granted him success.
Application and Prayer
Lord, teach me to use my privilege that you have blessed me with, to serve others. Teach me to pray that your will be done in my life. Give me this sole purpose to seek only after You. Amen.
Nehemiah 1:1 – 11
1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.
Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the citadel, 2 that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.”
4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5 And I said, “O LordGod of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father's house have sinned. 7 We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. 8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, 9 but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. 11 O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”