Nehemiah 2:1-10 (NIV)
2 In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, 2 so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.” I was very much afraid, 3 but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” 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.” 6 Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time. 7 I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? 8 And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests. 9 So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me. 10 When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.
After Nehemiah requests God’s favor to be upon him, he acts! He does not simply pray and do nothing. He goes before King Artexerxes asking to be allowed to return to Israel and help in the rebuilding process. He even has the courage to ask for extra resources and personnel, and all through this conversation, Nehemiah is having another conversation: he is in constant prayer (see v. 4). While the story seems to focus on Nehemiah, the story is really about God. God is always with Nehemiah, graciously giving him favor in the eyes of the king, courage and strength. Knowing what God has done for us on the cross means we can live with confidence in God’s continuing provision and grace. When we are stressed, anxious, or in a crisis where we cannot see how things will turn out, we can trust that God; is with us, we can seek him in prayer at any moment, and live in freedom (see Galatians 5:1). http://sothrichfield.podbean.com/
Nehemiah 2:1-10 (NIV)
2 In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, 2 so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.” I was very much afraid, 3 but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” 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.” 6 Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time. 7 I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? 8 And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests. 9 So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me. 10 When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.
After Nehemiah requests God’s favor to be upon him, he acts! He does not simply pray and do nothing. He goes before King Artexerxes asking to be allowed to return to Israel and help in the rebuilding process. He even has the courage to ask for extra resources and personnel, and all through this conversation, Nehemiah is having another conversation: he is in constant prayer (see v. 4). While the story seems to focus on Nehemiah, the story is really about God. God is always with Nehemiah, graciously giving him favor in the eyes of the king, courage and strength. Knowing what God has done for us on the cross means we can live with confidence in God’s continuing provision and grace. When we are stressed, anxious, or in a crisis where we cannot see how things will turn out, we can trust that God; is with us, we can seek him in prayer at any moment, and live in freedom (see Galatians 5:1).