A Man of Prayer

IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

A Man of Prayer

Date: Nov. 2, 2019

Passage

Nehemiah 2:1-10 (ESV)

1 In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. 2 And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. 3 I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” 4 Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ graves, that I may rebuild it.” 6 And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. 7 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, 8 and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.

9 Then I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. 10 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV) is adapted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. All rights reserved.

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Daily Bread

Key Verse: 2:4

Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.

1. Nehemiah's sad face (1-4a)

Nehemiah was always careful to look cheerful when he served the king. But he prayed and fasted, and made up his mind to speak to the king. Instead of his usual happy face, he went before the king with a sad face. The king immediately noticed and asked him why his heart was sad. Nehemiah was very much afraid. If the king became displeased or angry, Nehemiah might lose his job and/or his head, and the situation in Jerusalem might become worse. But he boldly told the king about his sorrow for Jerusalem. The king responded, "What is it you want?"

2. An emergency prayer (4b-10)

Nehemiah prayed to the God of heaven; then he answered the king. He requested permission to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the city and its walls. He also asked for letters of authorization to the officials whose help he would need. God was with him, and the king granted his request. As God worked, Satan also worked, and enemies arose.

Prayer: Lord, give me the courage to begin to do the work you put in my heart to do, trusting in you by prayer.

One Word: Pray, then do

Gifts for the Temple

1 Chronicles 29:1-9

Key Verse: 29:6

Then the leaders of fathers’ houses made their freewill offerings, as did also the leaders of the tribes, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and the officers over the king’s work.

Today's Question

What are the ordinary, external ways Christ uses to bring us the benefits of redemption?

See answer and references