DAY 4 OF 40 - Better Together Through Prayer And The Word

DAY 4 OF 40 - Better Together Through Prayer And The Word

Nehemiah 1:10-11

10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. 11 O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man." Now I was cupbearer to the king.

DAY 4 - PLEADING AND INTERCEDING

SCRIPTURE: Nehemiah 1:10 “Now these are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power, and by your strong hand. 11 Lord,[a] I beg you, let your ear be attentive now to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants, who delight to fear your name; and please prosper your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”

Now I was cup bearer to the king.

Footnotes:

a. Nehemiah 1:11 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”

Can you just hear Nehemiah? Now, Lord, these are your servants that worship You and your people, the children of Israel. You redeemed them (Jeremiah 31:11 For Yahweh has ransomed Jacob, and redeemed him from the hand of him who was stronger than he.) by your divine strength and power. He is interceding for the children of Israel. They need help!

Nehemiah goes on to pray, pleading for himself…O Lord, I “beseech” (KJV) You, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant. Beseech is a strong word…I beg You. When the word “beseech” is used it is to intensify the urgency of the request or the gravity of a given situation.

Nehemiah knows what he must do. He pleads with God to give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man. This man is more than Nehemiah’s next door neighbor. THIS MAN IS THE KING! He prays for the king to grant him favor…mercy, compassion and tenderness…when he enters his presence.

It seems like he should have been granted favor easily since Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the king. Being cupbearer or butler to the king was a high position. In fact his job was one of great trust. The cupbearer tasted the king’s wine before the king drank it to guard against the king being poisoned. But as a cupbearer, you entered the king’s presence as needed at the king’s bidding, not yours. Following the king’s agenda, easy; bringing up your own agenda could bring trouble…unless the king granted you favor!!!

LIFE APPLICATION: Have you ever “pleaded” in behalf of a request or situation for yourself? Have you ever “interceded” in behalf of a request or situation for someone else? Read the supporting scriptures. What is God saying to you?

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