February 20, 2010

• Nehemiah 2:9-20: We trust You, O God of heaven

  I've been posting some reflections on prayer, and most recently I've posted some prayers based on Nehemiah (please see here, here and here and here), Today's prayer is from Nehemiah 2, but it is a little different from the most recent prayers.

  Nehemiah 2:9  Then I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. 10  But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah, the Ammonite servant, heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.
  
  11  So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days. 12  Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. And I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me but the one on which I rode. 13  I went out by night by the Valley Gate to the Dragon Spring and to the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that were broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. 14  Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and to the King's Pool, but there was no room for the animal that was under me to pass. 15  Then I went up in the night by the valley and inspected the wall, and I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned. 16  And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, and I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest who were to do the work.
  
  17  Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” 18  And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work. 19  But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” 20  Then I replied to them, “The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.”
  
  
  Dear Father,

  We see when Your servant Nehemiah was sent to lead Your people in the work of rebuilding the wall at Jerusalem, he met with opposition. We confess that sometimes  we are surprised or dismayed or discouraged when we meet with opposition. Yet we should not be surprised, dismayed or discouraged. Anyone who is sent to seek the welfare of Your people, of Your Church, is sure to meet with opposition. Satan, Your enemy, is our enemy because we are Your chosen people. Our Lord Jesus continued to be opposed. He was sent to be the Savior of the world, He came to His own, but His own did not receive Him. Yet even then we know all the opposition and rejection that He met was all under Your sovereign hand, all of it was according to Your sovereign will in fulfillment of prophecy and Your ordained plan for our Savior. Jesus warned us that as He was treated so we would be also. Help us not to fear or be dismayed, but to remember Your plan can never be thwarted, no matter how great the opposition we might meet. Help us to be assured that You are our Helper no matter the circumstance. Nothing is too hard for You. Your have promised Your Holy Spirit would abide with us forever and all authority and power is Yours. The devil is already a defeated foe.

  As You call us to the work of rebuilding, we trust that You, O God of heaven, are sufficient, that You will make us prosper, and You will equip us with all we need through Your Holy Spirit so we might arise and build. May we patient and wise. Guard us and protect us so we do not make wrongful alliances with or concessions as we work for You for Your the sake of Your Name and for Your glory.

  We need to have discerning ears and eyes as we meet with many people in this world. Many may despise us outwardly but there are times that Your enemies may come in disguise, like angels of light, like wolves in sheep's clothing. Help us to gentle as doves yet wise as serpents as we deal with people. May we be discerning and never yoke ourselves to others You are not calling to come alongside us.

  As You call us to the work of rebuilding, we trust that You, O God of heaven, are sufficient, that You will make us prosper, and You will equip us with all we need through Your Holy Spirit so we might arise and build. May we patient and wise. Guard us and protect us so we do not make wrongful alliances with or concessions as we work for You for Your the sake of Your Name and for Your glory.

  Help us to be discerning and obedient to the call You have put into our hearts to do for You and for Your people. Help us to remain steadfast, immovable, always abounding in Your work for then our labor in You will not be in vain. There are times we must go out at night like Nehemiah did, to survey the walls, and there are times we must be silent about the work You are doing in us and what You are putting on our hearts. Help us to be faithful to work even when You are the only Friend we have, the only Friend in Whom we can confide in. There are those times of preparation, of plowing the soil or surveying the walls or going into our closets or to fast or to study undisturbed. Help us to know Your will for us and to walk in it. To persevere in those works You have called us to which are so vital, but not necessarily to undergirding the future work You have for us to do. Help us to persevere with joy no matter the place or the work You have for us. Be it alone on our knees or in front of a crowd. If we are obedient to You, we know Your yoke will be easy and Your burden light, no matter what the service.

  As You call us to the work of rebuilding, we trust that You, O God of heaven, are sufficient, that You will make us prosper, and You will equip us with all we need through Your Holy Spirit so we might arise and build. May we patient and wise. Guard us and protect us so we do not make wrongful alliances with or concessions as we work for You for Your the sake of Your Name and for Your glory.
  

  Help us to wait on You for each step of the journey You have for us. So often we would not take that time like Nehemiah to survey the ruins alone and quietly at night. We would want to get right to it. But then as we see Nehemiah speak of what You had put on His heart in Your timing, that timing was perfect, for we hear the people acclaim, "Let us rise up and build" and then begin to make the preparations to do so. We can see how You were preparing their hearts to hear Nehemiah's message at just that time. Help us not to question Your timing. Help us to wait on You and trust You when You tell us to be silent, or to go away and pray more or to wait a little longer. We will never be ashamed as we wait on You. Help us not to seek the action, but to seek You and Your face first and foremost. We want to be in the middle of the battle, we want to be doing, but any work You call us to is vital and it is all battle, it is all action to further Your Kingdom and Your Gospel. May we trust that wherever You have us is a strategic place. May we trust that You are only waiting so Your Name might be highly exalted as You always choose to act in the way that will maximize Your glory. May we look forward to Your hallowing Your Name in Your time.

  As You call us to the work of rebuilding, we trust that You, O God of heaven, are sufficient, that You will make us prosper, and You will equip us with all we need through Your Holy Spirit so we might arise and build. May we patient and wise. Guard us and protect us so we do not make wrongful alliances with or concessions as we work for You for Your the sake of Your Name and for Your glory.
  

  Please add your prayers as His Holy Spirit leads you.

  • 3:25 AM
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