WORD MEDITATION: 16/6/2022
Bible Reading: Nehemiah 1-3; Acts 2:1-13
“When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.” – Nehemiah 1:4 (KJV)
From our opening scripture, Nehemiah clearly has a deep sense of personal concern. He is willing to face the facts, to weep over the remaining Jews that are left in great affliction back then at Jerusalem after the city was overran and the people taken into captivity, “And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.”– Nehemiah 1:3 (KJV). He also took time to mourn and tell God about them. That is always the place to begin when we are overwhelmed and don’t know how to go about the challenges and concerns of life. whatever it may be, and, without blaming or attempting to involve somebody else, telling it all to God is the way forward. God always welcomes a broken spirit and a contrite heart.
Following the writings in this chapter Nehemiah set a pattern in his prayer; he recognized the character of God. Sometimes in life the challenges we are concerned with may not always be ours alone but feeling like Nehemiah, we may want to tell the Almighty God that can intervene. That is always the place to start, for God is a responsive God. He gives attention to the prayers of His people.
He acknowledged their wrongs and repented of all personal and corporate sins. He put himself into the picture, saying, I confess before you, Lord, the sins of myself and my father’s house. There was no attempt to blame others for this. It was a simple acknowledgment of wrong. Then, he reminded God of His gracious promises to His people. Outlining the history of Israel and God’s prophetic promises through Moses in the book of Deuteronomy. How they would disobey God; they would be scattered among the nations; they would go into exile. But if they would turn and acknowledge their evil, God would bring them back to the land. Nehemiah reminded God of that gracious promise.
The bible is filled with God’s promises for His people and we are privileged to be partakers of these promises, having escape the corruption in the world through salvation in Christ Jesus. “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” – 2 Peter 1:4 KJV
And furthermore Nehemiah made a specific request and believed that God would help him. And so he started to pray and asked for grace and strength to carry out the steps that were necessary to begin recovery of his people and kingdom.
We serve a covenant keeping God that always fulfills His promises. Whenever we truly turn to Him, He is ever ready and willing to help in time of need or trouble. And prayers is always where to start in accessing the unlimited help from God.
Prayer: Father, endue me with the grace for prayer and supplication in Jesus Name.
Pastor Alfred Samuel