Day 2 of the IF:Prayer study has us sitting in the presence of a Persian king, as Nehemiah the cup bearer is presenting the wine. If you wish to visit the IF: Equip page for today's study, please click here. If you wish to read through today's passage, please follow the link to Bible Gateway here.
Some of my thoughts as I was reading through Nehemiah 2:1-8:
- v.1 - "I had not been sad in his presence." Leaving Nehemiah as I did in Chapter 1, in a state of fasting, mourning and weeping and pouring out his prayers to God, I have to wonder how well he did at not being sad. I'm awful at hiding my true feelings, so, I'm always intrigued by those that can put up a good enough front as to mask their emotions.
- v.2-3 - So, maybe our main character didn't do such a good job pretending anyhow, because the king inquires that not only is Nehemiah possessing a sad face, but he characterizes it as a "sickness of the heart." This isn't just a bad day or a spring cold that's got him down, it's an inner sadness that sits right at the center of the cup bearer. But, what I love even more is the very honest and human reaction that, even though he mentions that he was afraid when the king asked, Nehemiah just starts spilling out all his sorrow in verse 3. It's like the bottle has been uncapped and all the contents under pressure burst out, and his wording may seem a little dramatic as he recounts all his woes, but I think the weight of the state of Jerusalem is still so heavy and tender for Nehemiah.
- v.4 - One of the lessons to be learned from Nehemiah in these verses for me sits right here. The kings asks what his servant is requesting and we read in verse 4, Nehemiah "prayed to the God of heaven." You know he had to have the answer already on the tip of his tongue. And while Nehemiah may have been abundant in relaying his troubles in verse 3, here in verse 4, he shows enough restraint, enough wisdom to stop and pray before talking. I do NOT possess this trait 24/7, especially if it is a heavy burden that has me in emotional knots. There's a really good chance that I've already mentioned to God in my prayers, and as He sees the innermost parts of me, the plans that I've formulated to make things better. So, the answer to the question, 'What's your request? What do you want?' could've have gotten an immediate breakdown of my ideas. Whether he was praying for the right words, or for God to grant him the courage to be bold and ask, or for the king's heart to be pliant to his requests, or all the above, Nehemiah prayed before speaking.
- v. 5- 8 - Each time I read through Nehemiah, there's a certain encouragement that comes from the boldness displayed in Nehemiah's answer. Not only does he ask to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, to take a leave of absence from being in the king's court, but he asks for the king to take it a step further, giving him safe passage and supplies to do the work. I'm not real sure how important cup bearers were to the grand scheme of a throne room, or if there was more to the king and Nehemiah's relationship than king and servant, but to ask for the king to help in Nehemiah's task of rebuilding a Jewish city and temple seems a little crazy. But, he does it, and the king agrees. Do you think this all went down in the throne room and the other people in there were like, mouths open, stunned in silence by this interaction between Jewish man and the Persian king? Nevertheless, we see that the Nehemiah's success lay in the fact that "the good hand of my God was upon me." (v.8)
So, what does all this mean in regards to God, the world and myself? In today's society, with all the changes in laws and political seats, it's can be disheartening to a Christian. It feels like we're becoming a tiny piece of the picture, fading into the background, even chastised for our beliefs. It's easy to forget in the face of the world around us, that God is bigger than any earthly ruler and that hasn't changed from the days when He moved the mind of a Persian king to grant the request of Israelite servant cup bearer. Don't lose hope and faith that God is ultimately in control and if it's in His plans, it will happen.
As for me, I'm reminded that in all things, my focus has to remain on God. Whether it be that moment when I need to find the words to say, the answers I'm seeking, or whether I'm searching for the courage to take the first step and follow His plans, I must be centered on Him. Stop and pray. Be bold and find my strength in the Lord. He's so much bigger than the earthly, He is above all things and that will never change.
May the good hand of my God be upon me today and every day.
Till next time - C
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