Today’s
Meditation
Read Nehemiah 1:1-11
Nehemiah’s Prayer
1 The words of
Nehemiah son of Hakaliah:
In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year,
while I was in the citadel of Susa, 2 Hanani, one
of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them
about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about
Jerusalem.
3 They
said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in
great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates
have been burned with fire.”
4 When
I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and
fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. 5 Then
I said:
“Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome
God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep
his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and
your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you
day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins
we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against
you. 7 We have acted very wickedly toward you.
We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
8 “Remember the
instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will
scatter you among the nations, 9 but if you
return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the
farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the
place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’
10 “They
are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and
your mighty hand. 11 Lord, let your ear be
attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants
who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting
him favor in the presence of this man.”
I was cupbearer to the king.
The
story of Nehemiah has been bouncing around in my head for the last 2 months as
we continue to sit and work through being separated and quarantined. This
separation feels a whole lot like being exiled and removed from our day-to-day
lives. I do not know how many of you know the whole story of Nehemiah, but he
and the Israelites have been exiled all over the Persian Empire and the city of
Jerusalem has been raised to the ground. Nehemiah has a chance to get some news
about the country of his ancestors and is saddened to hear that the city has
been destroyed and the people are living in ruins.
God
gives Nehemiah favor with Antexerxes who sends him back to Jerusalem, with
supplies, to rebuild the city, and while they come across many obstacles on
this endeavor, God never leaves His people, and they rebuild the city and
reclaim their lands.
This
story has stuck out to me because we are all exiled at the moment. Separated
from one another with no guarantee of when we might be together again. Read the
story of Nehemiah and take heart. God is with us in our times of happiness and
joy as well as in our times of exile, pain and sadness. Know that God is
moving, even now, to heal and to provide for His people.
Some
day we will be returned to the land, or home, that God has for us. Some day we
will fellowship with one another again. Take hope and know that the God of the
universe has a plan!
God bless you all my brothers and sisters in Christ!
Ben Little
The God of Hope
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