7th.: Nehemiah's Heart-Wrenched Prayer
The people of Israel sinned against God.
Therefore, as he had promised (Lev 25:1-7),
God removed them from the Promised Land, and sent them into a foreign land.
In the Medo-Persian capital, Shushan, lived a Jewish man named Nehemiah.
His job was to taste the Medo-Persian's king’s wine.
If someone wanted to poison the king, Nehemiah would die first.
One day, Nehemiah received a bad report. Jerusalem was in sad shape.
Nehemiah sat down, wept, fasted, and prayed for several days (Neh. 1:4).
Nehemiah began praying,
“I beseech thee, O Lord God of Heaven,
the great and terrible God that keeps covenant
and mercy for them that love him,
and observe his commandments.” (Neh. 1:5).
(Neh. 1:5-11 gives the text of this prayer)
Nehemiah began with Adoration, praising the Lord for His strength, and faithfulness and mercy.
He then requested that God hear his prayer, and continued into confession,
“Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou may hear this prayer of thy servant,
which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel, thy servants,
and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee,
both I and my father’s house have sinned.” (Neh. 1:6).
To be continued ->
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. They shall prosper that loves thee.” (Ps. 122:6)