Reading… and Thinking

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. And I said, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 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.

— Nehemiah 1:4-6 (ESV)

The cause of Nehemiah’s grief was the news that arrived with some travelers who came from the returned exiles in Jerusalem. It’s now been many years since the Jews who wished to were allowed to return home from captivity in Babylon. The temple had been rebuilt. Nehemiah wanted to know how things were going. The news was dismal: “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.” (verse 3)

Nehemiah’s response was to pour out his heart to God. He asked the God of Israel for help – something any of us might well do. But I wonder if our prayer would sound anything like Nehemiah’s!

First off, he doesn’t dive straight into his request. He starts off his appeal by giving glory to God, and he makes the very character of God the basis for his appeal. He appeals to “the great and awesome God”, the one “who keeps covenant and steadfast love”. He appeals on behalf of “the people of Israel your servants”. In doing this, Nehemiah is following precedents. I don’t think this is accidental – he consciously imitates the prayer of Daniel from a generation earlier (see Daniel 9:4), and bases his appeal on the words of Moses spoken at the foundation of the nation of Israel (see Deuteronomy 7:19).

In other words, Nehemiah doesn’t just beg, “Please help us!” It’s not a selfish prayer. It’s not based on “we need”. It’s based on what God has said about Himself. Because even Moses in Deuteronomy was referring back, to the time God had revealed His great Name, recorded in Exodus 34:6-7.

The second key thing we notice about this prayer is that, again before asking for anything, Nehemiah makes confession. He admits that they have let God down. The disgrace they’re in is actually what they deserve. He doesn’t try to say (or imply), “you owe us, you should never have let us get into this situation”. He admits that there’s no question of deserving God’s mercy and His help. Nehemiah realizes that disobedience to God will quite rightly result in a barrier to his prayer being answered. And we all disobey! So he confesses, asks for mercy, based on the merciful character of his mighty God.

And finally (looking to the verses that follow the ones quoted above), we see that Nehemiah is prepared to act. He asks God to help, but he doesn’t expect God to wave a wand. Already, in faith, Nehemiah has made plans to approach the king of Persia. He asks God to prosper the request. If the request is successful, Nehemiah will travel many hundreds of miles, and expend years of labor. Nehemiah is willing to work, and he’s willing to risk. What he asks God’s help with is the possible obstacle that could prevent the work from getting started.

Nehemiah’s prayer makes me realize I need to examine my own prayers.

• Am I ready to work, hard, and ask God to guide? Or am I asking God to do it all for me so I don’t have to do much of anything? Am I ready to have my life turned in a completely different direction, if God grants my request?
• Do I confess that God owes me nothing, that anything He gives is beyond what I deserve? Or deep down, maybe not even put into words, do I feel that God owes me? (This usually shows up as anger when I don’t get what I want.) And do I realize that if I persist in disobedience, there is no reason for God to respond to me?
• And, above all, do I make my appeal to God based on Him, His merciful and covenant-keeping character – or do I base it on my perceived need? Or worse, what I want.

Nehemiah’s prayer was answered. As was Daniel’s. As had been David’s and Moses’, and others who had poured out their appeals to God based on the character of God Himself. And as a result, Nehemiah’s life would never be the same!