Before you move, PRAY

The first time Janet and I ever skied we were leading a group of 50 teenagers down the slopes. I remember trying to teach a bunch of the kids to ski the day I learned as well. I tend to be the kind of person that gets a little of the instructions, then moves and sees what happens. (My lovely wife however got the instructions well and as a result didn’t fall 42 times that weekend.)

The point is, this is the same way I approach God and His plans for my life. I get a little bit of the marching orders and then run ahead and ask God to bless the rest I am guessing at. I don’t slow down very well and listen. That’s why this section of reading is so helpful for me. Ezra and Nehemiah both pray before they move. Look at Nehemiah 1: 3-4, “They said to me…The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire. As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.”

What Nehemiah prays is both very humble and very practical. He begins by ADORING GOD. He describes him as Great and Awesome, a keeper of the Covenant and a steadfast lover (vs. 5). After that, he CONFESSES both his sins and the people’s sins. “We have acted corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments…” (vs. 6-7). I note this as humble because some of the offenses he confesses are the people’s sins and not Nehemiah’s. Yet he confesses them as his own. How humble and empathetic. (A beautiful picture of our Savior by the way, taking our sins on his own body.) He closes with THANKSGIVING and SUPPLICATION. “Give success to your servant today”(vs. 10-11).

It would be a great plan for me to slow up each day and pray through this template and let God move my heart this toward His plans. Shalom.

Tips for Reading- (Observation tip # 15)

Note: This section is help for Bible Reading in general. It has been building throughout the year under the topics of Observation (what the Scripture says), Interpretation (what it means) and Application (what it means to your life). Feel free to look back over past weeks to get the whole picture.

We are getting down to the end of our observation section of Bible study. Next stop in three weeks will be Interpretation. It might be a good time to go back over what you have learned and put them on an index card in bullet form so that as you go to the next part you take Observation with you.

Okay, here’s the next tip: look for things that are emphasized. I have been leading you to this in the above section because of the emphasis on prayer. Ezra’s prayer is very insightful to how God views our identity as the people of God and our calling to live it out in our homes. As we studied, Nehemiah prays about the future calling of the city God has chosen. What does these emphases say about God’s priority for our lives?

Write down what you think it says about your schedule and what’s important. How are we called to live in light of these truths?

Notes from David’s Journal

Nehemiah is my favorite example of leadership in the Bible. You see every aspect of Godly, spiritual leadership in this man’s life. It’s exemplary for our lives today, no matter who or where we may be leading.

In the first four chapters of Nehemiah, please note the background. Nehemiah is in Persia (the Persians having overtaken the Babylonians during Nehemiah’s time in captivity). He is the cupbearer to the king of Persia. Basically, this means he ate and drank everything before the king did to make sure the king’s food and drinks were not poisoned! Needless to say, he held a very important position in the king’s court, one that demanded total loyalty and commitment to the king. He was a trusted employee.

We see in Nehemiah what God wants in a leader. As you read these chapters, note how his leadership begins to unfold:

- He sees a vision of the broken down walls in Jerusalem (from the Babylonian destruction of the Temple and the walls in 586). He yearns to return to his homeland but he knows that unless these walls are rebuilt Jerusalem will be forever vulnerable to outside foes. That’s when God gives him the most important beginning point for leadership: a VISION - something that can be painted in words to motivate people to action.

- Then he prays. Every great spiritual vision is saturated in prayer. In this time, I think Nehemiah gets God’s “go for it!”

- Then he goes to the king and asks permission to leave and accomplish this call. This is COURAGE, for the king could very well have said “no,” plus have him killed immediately for insurrection! But, he still went and asked for permission to leave. What was the king’s response? He not only said “yes,” but gave him the lumber necessary and the armed guard for the 800 mile journey back to Jerusalem. It’s Ephesians 3:20 (you have to look this verse up, but it’s one of my life verses).

- He then rallies the people around his vision. They enthusiastically endorse the call, I think, especially when Nehemiah says, “Let US rebuild the walls.” The leader was willing to move ahead WITH the people.

- He stood firm against his critics, Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem the Arab. Great visions always have critics. But Nehemiah would not let the critics stop the call!

- He refused to come down from the wall when tempted by smaller issues. He kept focused on what God had called him to do.

The wall is completed in a short time period. Nehemiah succeeded in what God called him to do.

These are great leadership principles, still true today. That shouldn’t surprise us. It’s God’s Word. It’s true yesterday, today and tomorrow. For all of us leaders who want to succeed, Nehemiah’s life is one to emulate!