Nehemiah's prayer is based in reality and honesty. If we don't begin there we will always find failure. Nehemiah knows that God's judgment on his people and their exile from Jerusalem were a result of sin and he and his family have participated in the sin and apostasy. We can't lay claim to innocence, we can only ask for forgiveness and we always do so based on God's merciful character. Mercy isn't a new concept in the New Testament, it has always been God's self-disclosure. If God were not merciful there would be no mankind at all.
Nehemiah recognizes the character of God's people and the character of God and then presumes to come before Him and ask for mercy based on his own repentance on behalf of the nation. Is that a plausible thing? The leader has to be the one to take this initiative on behalf of the people. Nehemiah literally knows nothing of the intentions of those who have returned. He doesn't know whether they simply want to rebuild the city or if they have come back with penitent hearts but he knows his own heart and his desire is to lead these people to rebuild from the desire to restore the honor of the Lord.
His prayer is based also on God's promise to restore them if they repent and on that basis Nehemiah is prepared to move forward with the plan. Finally, he asks the Lord to give him favor with this man, the king. His plan is not based in worldly things but rather in God's plan yet in order to move ahead he will need the cooperation and permission of the king. Now we are told of Nehemiah's position in life, I was cupbearer to the king.
Next we will look at that position and how God so often has put His people in position to accomplish His plan and purpose.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment