Thursday, March 12th
Nehemiah 1:4-11
4 When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
5 I said, ``I beseech You, O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments,
6 let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; I and my father's house have sinned.
7 ``We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses.
8 ``Remember the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, `If you are unfaithful I will scatter you among the peoples;
9 but if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though those of you who have been scattered were in the most remote part of the heavens, I will gather them from there and will bring them to the place where I have chosen to cause My name to dwell.'
10 ``They are Your servants and Your people whom You redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand.
11 ``O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name, and make Your servant successful today and grant him compassion before this man." Now I was the cupbearer to the king.
When Nehemiah was cupbearer to the king, he was troubled by the plight of the Israelites and their city. So, with the king’s permission, he set out to rebuild Jerusalem’s wall. There were numerous obstacles, but Nehemiah refused to be distracted from the task.
From his story, we learn the importance of:
Being in the center of God’s will. When Nehemiah cried out in prayer about his people and homeland, the Lord showed him what to do.
Remembering what the goal is. Nehemiah knew the Lord’s priority for him was to rebuild the city’s defenses. God has also planned things for us to do, and His work is always of great value.
Accomplishing each task. By keeping the Lord’s goal in mind, we are better able to stay in our God-appointed place, carry out each step, and remain on course.
Accurately identifying distractions. Those who seek to interrupt our work, divert our attention, or attack us personally are not from God. Think about situations that are likely to distract you. Being aware of their potential to cause delays can help you stay focused.
Every believer has God-given tasks (Ephesians 2:10). Nehemiah’s example is a good blueprint to follow in carrying them out.