Nehemiah 1:4-7, 10-11 - “When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. 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, 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. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses…They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. 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 background here is that Nehemiah has just heard very disturbing and heart-wrenching news.  Someone reported to him that the walls of Jerusalem were still in ruins. To the Israelites who were in captivity in Persia, this meant that God’s people were still living in brokenness, and what they desperately needed was God’s restoration and redemption. In today’s transmission, we want to focus upon the manner in which Nehemiah prayed and responded to this crisis.  The first thing that we notice is that he doesn’t react to the situation by saying whatever he was feeling.  Rather, Nehemiah was not reactionary in the way that many of us can be, but instead he is very clear of what is scripturally appropriate and inappropriate in the way he approaches the Lord in Prayer. Now, what do we say and pray when we first hear discouraging and heart-wrenching news?  Our reaction can be unbiblical, and we can pray and say things that are untrue, not worshipful, and reckless.

For example, we can curse at the situation, or use colorful language (*–) to express our discontent. However, the deeper problem is that we can take this same unbiblical approach in prayer.  We can say things that are very inappropriate and reckless.  The example that Nehemiah sets for us is that he was able to weep, mourn, and even fast-where he feels deep sorrow and brokenness. However, the act of prayer for Nehemiah was not a time and place to merely vent frustration and angst, where he verbalized whatever came to his mind.  Instead, Nehemiah saw the place of prayer as the space where he was able to express his deepest lament and mourning before the God of heaven, however it was prayed with words that reflected scripture and truth.

Today, let’s have a change of heart when it comes to prayer.  That instead of seeing prayer as a venting session, let’s approach prayer as the place of our greatest lament before the Lord-in Spirit and in truth.  Today spend time in in prayer-in lament and brokenness, as we seek the Lord for real changes in our lives.

-GK