The king said to me, “What is it you want?” – Nehemiah 2:4
Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the Persian king.| WATCH ON YOUTUBE
Nehemiah seems to have remained after the exiles had been allowed to go home. The prestigious position of being cupbearer to the king reveals something of Nehemiah’s upright character. But though he was still in Persia, he was keenly interested in the state of affairs in Judah. And he had just received sad updates from his brother Hanani about the condition of Jerusalem and his people.
Nehemiah was heartbroken. His response was to mourn, fast, and pray. He confessed the sins of his people and interceded on their behalf. But he did not stop there. He asked the Lord to grant him favour with the king. Nehemiah wanted to go and do something about the problem. He couldn’t just be a spectator.
When Nehemiah went into the king’s presence, the king noticed that he was not his usual self and asked him what happened. The king recognized that it was not a physical illness but sickness of the heart. He obviously knew Nehemiah well enough and cared that he was not well. The king valued Nehemiah.
Nehemiah responded prayerfully to the king’s question and sought permission to go back and rebuild his city and the temple of God. The king not only granted permission but provided Nehemiah all the material he needed to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah found favour with the king.
Nehemiah was not indifferent to the needs of his people. He cared enough to do something about it. Are you indifferent to the needs of those around you or are you spurred to action?
Lord, help me prayerfully act where you need me to, I pray.
Extended Reading — Nehemiah 1-5
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Great perspective — I hadn’t considered that angle before.