Nehemiah was minding his own business as the cupbearer to the king when he received word of how terribly things were going in his homeland, Jerusalem. The people were in great trouble and shame. The walls had been torn down and the gates had been destroyed by fire. Things were literally falling apart.
But first, pray!
When Nehemiah heard this, he was crushed. His first response was to pray and fast. (Nehemiah 1:4-10) He knew something needed to be done, but he did not intend on rushing ahead without seeking God first.
As Nehemiah prayed, he acknowledged that God was great, gracious, and faithful. He acknowledged they had sinned against Him by setting aside His commands, decrees, and regulations. He remembered God’s promise to scatter them if they were unfaithful, and that’s exactly where they found themselves. But he also remembered what God had promised to do if they got their act together.
By the time he finished praying, Nehemiah knew there was a job to do and that he was the one to get it started. He humbly asked God to grant him success so he could move forward with the task at hand.
Torn down and destroyed.
As I read this, I immediately thought of the things around us today that are being torn down and destroyed…
Head over to www.ErikaOwensWrites.com to follow along as I study Nehemiah and discover practical principles we can apply in our lives today.
Mom's Devotions 