Nehemiah 2:4-5 (NIV)
4 The king said to me, “What is it you want?”
Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 5 and I
answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor
in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are
buried so that I can rebuild it.”
Nehemiah approached the king with the fear of the Lord and
with submission to the God-given authorities. He humbly asked the king for the
resources he needed to complete his mission in Jerusalem. It is obvious that
through his time of prayer and fasting, the Lord gave him a strategy to go
forward in order to help restore Jerusalem’s broken-down walls. We also have
“broken-down” walls in our lives. The Lord longs to restore those broken-down
places where the world and the evil one continually weaken our defenses and
make us ashamed, angry, hurt, disappointed, fearful, or even hopeless. Nehemiah
models for us how a Godly man approached the devastation in Jerusalem. His
first step was to fast and pray. Then he waited for God to open the door of
opportunity so he could begin the process of stepping out in faith and putting
his God-given plan into action. As believers, we have the Holy Spirit to lead,
guide and direct our paths. In the places of devastation in our lives – those
broken-down places – the Lord will direct us through His Holy Spirit when we
turn to Him in prayer. He will give us the mind of Christ to show us what to do
and when to do it. Even more importantly, it is GOD who will provide the
resources we need to restore our lives. The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
and, like Nehemiah, we are able to say: the gracious hand of my God was upon me
and the king granted my requests. (Nehemiah 2:8b)
Has the Lord laid something on your heart that needs to be
done?
Does it seem like an impossible task? Nehemiah was faced
with rebuilding a city that had been burned down – a formidable task! He did
not dwell on the negative possibilities but sought the Lord in prayer, and the
God of the impossible told him what to do. If you are faced with a problem,
seek the Lord. He will give you the wisdom you need.
Thought for the day:
What is my conviction? What am I doing
to rectify the situation?
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