The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 2:4-5,
"The king said to me, 'What is it you want?' Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 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.'"
After hearing that the Jews in Jerusalem were "in great trouble and distress" and that the gates and walls of the city were destroyed, Nehemiah was greatly moved to do something about it.
Nehemiah was cupbearer to the Persian king, Artaxerxes, and he decided to approach the king and ask for permission to go to Jerusalem to lead the effort in repairing the walls and gates. Walls and gates were imperative at the time to provide protection for a city, and maintained its status as a viable locality.
When King Artaxerxes noticed the sadness in Nehemiah's face from the report he had received, Artaxerxes asked Nehemiah about it. Nehemiah confesses he was "very much afraid", verse 2, because if his response to the king made him unhappy, it could have cost him his head.
I note the approach Nehemiah took. When he was convinced he needed to do something about this report of the problems in Jerusalem, he approached "the God of heaven" prior to approaching the king and asking him for support, materials and safe passage so he could go and lead the job of rebuilding the walls and gates of Jerusalem.
Perhaps we need to take a clue from Nehemiah here. I feel there are many important things the Lord wants us to do while we are here in this life. Following Nehemiah's strategy, those things might be best preceded by us going to the Lord in prayer and asking for help, asking for the things we need, asking for the cooperation and support we require and asking for success. Nehemiah did and we learn he accomplished what he needed.
"Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you." Psalm 9:10. "May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say, 'The Lord is great!'" Psalm 40:16. "Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always." Psalm 105:4.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
"The king said to me, 'What is it you want?' Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 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.'"
After hearing that the Jews in Jerusalem were "in great trouble and distress" and that the gates and walls of the city were destroyed, Nehemiah was greatly moved to do something about it.
Nehemiah was cupbearer to the Persian king, Artaxerxes, and he decided to approach the king and ask for permission to go to Jerusalem to lead the effort in repairing the walls and gates. Walls and gates were imperative at the time to provide protection for a city, and maintained its status as a viable locality.
When King Artaxerxes noticed the sadness in Nehemiah's face from the report he had received, Artaxerxes asked Nehemiah about it. Nehemiah confesses he was "very much afraid", verse 2, because if his response to the king made him unhappy, it could have cost him his head.
I note the approach Nehemiah took. When he was convinced he needed to do something about this report of the problems in Jerusalem, he approached "the God of heaven" prior to approaching the king and asking him for support, materials and safe passage so he could go and lead the job of rebuilding the walls and gates of Jerusalem.
Perhaps we need to take a clue from Nehemiah here. I feel there are many important things the Lord wants us to do while we are here in this life. Following Nehemiah's strategy, those things might be best preceded by us going to the Lord in prayer and asking for help, asking for the things we need, asking for the cooperation and support we require and asking for success. Nehemiah did and we learn he accomplished what he needed.
"Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you." Psalm 9:10. "May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say, 'The Lord is great!'" Psalm 40:16. "Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always." Psalm 105:4.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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