The Everyday Prayer

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 5:6-13 (day five) Nehemiah being a good leader, is a good listener. This kind of listening is not just good leadership, it indicates sincere love. He hears their voices but also hears their hearts. I like the honesty and transparency of the scriptures. Nehemiah becomes angry. Yet he doesn’t react in anger. There is another needed course of action. What is required is not a reaction, but a response. (I consulted with myself). He pauses. He remembers the scriptures. He calls for repentance. Nehemiah understood and is now demonstrating that these are not just social issues, but gospel issues. There is a reliance on the scriptures and a call to repentance. “As Christians we know that it is the gospel that transforms people. It transforms the inside of them in such a powerful way that it changes and challenges, even the most difficult circumstance. There’s no issue anywhere that God cannot invade and transform through his power.” His response reflects both justice and love.

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 5:6-13 (day four)

We’ve reached a time of conflict in Nehemiah’s mission, and it’s coming both external and internal sources. Last week we discussed the conflict coming from outsiders, and this week the issues are coming from within God’s people. There are interesting differences in how Nehemiah handles these forms of conflict.

When facing oppression from outsiders, Nehemiah doesn’t seem to engage the mockery or threats. He simply offers his honest feelings to the Lord, appoints guards around the city, and carries on with the work of building the wall.

When conflict arises amongst the people of God, though, things are different. They are called to a higher standard, one of spiritual unity. When economic injustice persists among them, it is not only a social or physical issue, but a spiritual one. Nehemiah recognized that every level of communal life held a spiritual component, which meant this issue of injustice was worth his time and attention. It was worth any resulting delays to the wall construction, because unity among the people of God has always been and will always be a marker of the Kingdom, more so than any wall or monument.

What issues of injustice exist among God’s people today? What is God calling you to do to address them?

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 5:6-13 (day two) I consulted with myself and contended with the nobles and the rulers and said to them, “You are exacting usury, each from his brother!” v. 7a

The Jewish people were in a desperate place, and conflict came not just from others, but from among themselves. Sometimes businesses, individuals, and nations can lose sight of each other when we focus solely on ourselves. Nehemiah was able to look at the situation and see it for what it was. The Jewish people were not taking care of each other. Their businesses practices were causing people to fall further and further behind. Who knows how long this had been going on, or how it got as bad as it did. What strikes me, however, is Nehemiah’s response. Like every other instance in this story, Nehemiah pauses before he acts. Verse seven begins with the statement, “I consulted with myself.” Nehemiahs actions are never rash. Time and time again we are reminded that prayer and patience are the ingredients for how to effect change. We may recognize problems in our lives, but we would do well to take a note from Nehemiah and pause to pray before we act.

“…for the people had a mind to work.” — Nehemiah 4:6b

Some translations say, “the people were enthusiastic about their work,” but perhaps there’s an even better word: resolute. Nehemiah 4:6 doesn’t just describe motivation—it captures a profound unity and unwavering determination. Despite persistent opposition, the people pressed on because they shared a united and resolute commitment.

There’s something powerful—even sacred—about that kind of shared purpose. Unity with resolve is nearly unstoppable.

This is why Jesus, over 400 years later, would pray:

“That they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you… so that the world may believe that you sent me.”— John 17:21

Jesus’ primary missional strategy isn’t high-performing individuals with lofty platforms. It is a unified people—a Kingdom community with a mind to work together in pursuit of God’s mission. The world will know Him when we are one. Think about that.

 

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 4:1-8 (day five)  Work on the wall has started. The mentioned people and families are following God’s plan and purpose. Now comes criticism, mocking, anger, distraction, questioning, and persecution. Probably should have expected it. We know to expect it from Jesus teachings- see John‬ ‭15‬. Yet verse six says in the midst of all the opposition and noise, “So we built the wall”.

I like Jerry Bridges’ thoughts on the preeminence of obedience in the life of the believer- how faithfulness is to be desired over success.  It really gives clarity to the focus and desires of the heart. Am I first and foremost desiring to please and honor God with all I am and all I do?  (See Colossians 3:22) Even at the cost of personal awards and rewards?

“God wants us to walk in obedience – not victory. Obedience is oriented toward God; victory is oriented toward self. This may seem to be merely splitting hairs over semantics, but there’s a subtle, self-centered attitude at the root… Until we deal with this attitude, we won’t consistently walk in holiness.”- Jerry Bridges

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 4:1-8 (day four)

When walking through a difficult life circumstance, I often think to myself, “I don’t know how people do this without Jesus.” Whatever the situation is, be it financial struggle, health concerns, relationship issues, job stress, all of it – truly all of it – takes on a different light when submitted to Christ. The situation might still be hard, but when we walk in relationship with the Lord, he bears that heavy burden for us. We know that his purposes for us are good and that his plan for our life is one of redemption, so we can trust that he is working and moving on our behalf, even when things seem most dark.

While Nehemiah lived before Jesus came onto the earthly scene, we see him modeling this same thing. When he was getting scorned and jeered at from all sides, and even living under physical threat (ironically, these threats from Sanballat reinforced Jerusalem’s need for the wall), he ran to the Lord, and gave that heavy burden directly to him. Nehemiah trusted God’s plan, God’s justice, and God’s faithfulness. Nehemiah believed what Paul would later write, “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.” 

What heaviness are you carrying that would be better off in the Lord’s hands?

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 4:1-8 (day three)

“What are these feeble Jews doing?”

A well-worn aphorism: “When you have the facts on your side, pound the facts, when you have the law on your side, pound the law, and when you have neither, pound the table.” All the harrumphing going on here betrays the weak position of Nehemiah’s enemies. Confident people don’t employ ad hominem arguments, and Nehemiah knew it. He could see through their ridiculous rhetoric. But would his resolve envelop the people he led? This question fueled his prayer. The resulting calm and courage in him provided a steady voice to which all the people rallied.