Nehemiah 1:5-11
The story of Nehemiah is one of my personal favorites. This book is rich with history as well as a testimony to the faithfulness of Nehemiah. In these passages, Nehemiah is confessing before God the wickedness of his people. When praying, this is an important factor in our prayers. When taking the Lord’s supper, we are told to first reconcile with anyone with whom we are at odds with. And, to take the Lord’s supper without first doing so puts one at risk of God’s judgment. Likewise, when we pray, we must reconcile any discord to the very best we can. This means confessing sin in our own lives. In verses 6 and 7, Nehemiah is confessing not his sin, but the sin of the Israelites. They had disobeyed God’s command and the laws given to Moses. Confession cleanses the soul. It relieves our minds of the burden that comes from the weight of sin and its consequences. He even points to God’s promise to scatter the unfaithful. It is difficult, if not impossible, to pray when our hearts are not right with God. We are, in a very real way, scattered. But in verse nine, Nehemiah also calls upon God and His promise that if they return to Him and obey, He will bring them back together. Nehemiah was facing a serious situation in which he desperately needed the Lord’s help to sway the king to help him. He was the cupbearer, and therefore not really in a position to ask the king for favors. Nehemiah knew he needed God’s help. So, he humbled himself, confessed before God, and God, through the king, granted Nehemiah great favor. Our prayers should be framed in the same context. God is the giver of everything, including the very breaths we take. We must depend on God always, and especially in the tough times. And when we confess ourselves before God and ask in humility, God will do amazing things!
The story of Nehemiah is one of my personal favorites. This book is rich with history as well as a testimony to the faithfulness of Nehemiah. In these passages, Nehemiah is confessing before God the wickedness of his people. When praying, this is an important factor in our prayers. When taking the Lord’s supper, we are told to first reconcile with anyone with whom we are at odds with. And, to take the Lord’s supper without first doing so puts one at risk of God’s judgment. Likewise, when we pray, we must reconcile any discord to the very best we can. This means confessing sin in our own lives. In verses 6 and 7, Nehemiah is confessing not his sin, but the sin of the Israelites. They had disobeyed God’s command and the laws given to Moses. Confession cleanses the soul. It relieves our minds of the burden that comes from the weight of sin and its consequences. He even points to God’s promise to scatter the unfaithful. It is difficult, if not impossible, to pray when our hearts are not right with God. We are, in a very real way, scattered. But in verse nine, Nehemiah also calls upon God and His promise that if they return to Him and obey, He will bring them back together. Nehemiah was facing a serious situation in which he desperately needed the Lord’s help to sway the king to help him. He was the cupbearer, and therefore not really in a position to ask the king for favors. Nehemiah knew he needed God’s help. So, he humbled himself, confessed before God, and God, through the king, granted Nehemiah great favor. Our prayers should be framed in the same context. God is the giver of everything, including the very breaths we take. We must depend on God always, and especially in the tough times. And when we confess ourselves before God and ask in humility, God will do amazing things!
Posted in Devotional