DAY 2 OF 40 - Better Together Through Prayer And The Word

DAY 2 OF 40 - Better Together Through Prayer And The Word

Nehemiah 1:5-7

5 And I said, "O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father's house have sinned. 7 We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses.

DAY 2 – DON’T JUST SIT THERE – PRAY SOMETHING!

SCRIPTURE: Nehemiah 1:4 When I heard these words, I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days; and I fasted and prayed before the God[a] of heaven, 5 and said, “I beg you, Yahweh,[b] the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments: 6 Let your ear now be attentive, and your eyes open, that you may listen to the prayer of your servant, which I pray before you at this time, day and night, for the children of Israel your servants while I confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Yes, I and my father’s house have sinned. 7 We have dealt very corruptly against you, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances, which you commanded your servant Moses.

Footnotes:

a. Nehemiah 1:4 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).

b. Nehemiah 1:5 “Yahweh” is God’s proper Name, sometimes rendered “LORD” (all caps) in other translations.

The conditions of the Israelites in Jerusalem moved Nehemiah to action. “For some days,” Nehemiah said, “I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.” How long this mourning and fasting and praying lasted, we do not know exactly; but we do know it was in the month of Kislev (1:1) when it began. The month of Kislev was the months of November/December. In Nehemiah 2:1, we read that things began to happen in the month of Nisan, which is March/April. So Nehemiah fasted and prayed for approximately four months.

Although Nehemiah is broken, he does not begin his prayer with a request. He begins with praise and honor to “the great and awesome God of heaven.” He is reminded that this God “keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands.” Nehemiah realizes that the Israelites have not “obeyed his commands” when he says, “I confess the sins we Israelites…have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you…”

Nehemiah doesn’t blame someone else or try to cover the sins that the Israelites have committed. He admits them and prays, as Moses did, for forgiveness for himself and the people. He cries out to God. Nehemiah, “your servant, is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel.”

LIFE APPLICATION: Two points of interest: 1) Nehemiah didn’t pray once or twice and quit; he prayed until the answer came…as we will find out later in our study. 2) He didn’t blame someone else for the problems or try to cover the truth; he openly confessed his sin and the sin of the Israelites and asked for forgiveness. Father, Speak to me as to how these points affect my relationship with you? Amen

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