Skip to main content

The Nehemiah Prayer

Brazil is the worst country in the world for COVID. 

I received these comforting words from a friend of mine yesterday who then concluded his email with, "Take care my friend and God Bless!" 

I know that my friend meant well but his short paragraph reminded me of what James told the believers in James 2:16. How often we do this? We see a seemingly impossible situation and "pray" for the needy one and then go our way to cut the grass or buy a new cell phone. 

Is my friend going to be able to help me in any way? Well, yes he can, and he probably does help me more than I do him. He can pray for me. When countries separate good friends, then we are left with the prayer option. We may be involved up to our noses in ministry at church, yet we can stop during our busy and whisper a "Nehemiah prayer". You know what a NP is right? It isn't Nehemiah's prayer uttered in the first chapter of the book that bears his name. It is that quick one that you can't even see in chapter 2:4, The king said to me, "What is it you want?" Then I prayed to the God of heaven,
 
Kings of the world didn't like sad people around. So when Nehemiah's sadness was seen in the king's presence, he was scared. When later in the conversation the king asked what Nehemiah would need to have a successful journey it was the golden moment to ask for help. Thus the whispered prayer that we do not see. 

My well wishing friend is probably whispering these types of prayers for me. In Nehemiah's case, it was that prayer that opened the king's bigger pockets to supply materials and permissions to be able to rebuild the walls of the destroyed Jerusalem. An amazing story. What will my friend's Nehemiah Prayer render on behalf of the kingdom? Only time will tell. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

If this is the kingdom of God, do I really want it?

If this is Kingdom Living, Do I Want it? Matthew 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. In a study of the Sermon on the Mount to this point we might be tempted to say, “I don’t want to be that happy!” If this is Kingdom living then I want to go to Disney World. This place is depressing.  What Jesus describes here seems to highlight all of the ...

What? How?

 27 “But to you who are listening, I say:  Love your enemies,  do good to those who hate you, 28  bless those who curse you,  pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek,  turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat,  do not withhold your shirt from them.  30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.  31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.  32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.  33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.  34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.  35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.  Then your reward will be gr...

Life's Twists - Esther

The fascinating account that we call "Esther" has intrigue, love and mysterious purpose that highlights God's sovereign control over every aspect. In ten chapters, we meet the ruling King of Persia, his evil courtier Haman, Mordecai, a dignified and stubborn Jew and his niece Hadassa. Each player has an integral part in the tale. That story goes like this.  The King has a magnificent party that goes on for six months! Finally, in his desire to show off his lovely wife, he calls for her to come dressed in her crown. She refuses, usually a crime punishable by death, and is banished from the castle. The flustered King asks his men what he should do, and they decide he should seek a new bride. The process takes months, but finally, Ester is chosen. Her new position will be a critical part of the happy ending of this story.  Enter the villain Haman, who hates Mordecai so much that he eventually plans to kill him. Before that evil deed, however, he hatches an even more cruel ac...