“O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.
“I was cupbearer to the king.
“In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,.. I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. And the king said, ‘Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.’ Then I was very much afraid. I said, ‘Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?’ Then the king said to me, ‘What are you requesting?’ So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said, ‘If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah,.. that I may rebuild it.’ And the king said.., ‘How long will you be gone..?’ So it pleased the king to send me…
“So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days. 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… I went out by night by the Valley Gate.., and I inspected the walls that were broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire… 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.
“Then I said to them, ‘You see the trouble we are in… Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.’ 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.” Nehemiah 1:11-2:6,11-13,16-18
Nehemiah did not speed through life. This exemplary leader honed godliness and effectiveness in the secret place with his Lord, in prayer and careful contemplation. He was specific in confession, supplication, and inspection, and trusted God to direct, unveil, and undertake for permission and provision as he actively waited on Him. Faith in His superintendence of each step bolstered his faith to take the next. (Nehemiah 5:6-10)
When we take time to discern, in any situation, we can move forward knowing God’s hand is upon us. Concentrate in focused prayer, and thought. Glean what we can from the Scriptures, and someone wiser. The Lord’s measured, clear response to our inquiring is a comfort and a goad.
What is a present pressing conundrum? What fear or unrestraint triggers impulsiveness to act rashly, speak harshly, react ununthoughtfully? What (or who) can help us pause, and ponder, and seek advice? How can we with self-control better respond according to God’s plan? He’ll answer and lead the seeking heart.
Lord, grant me discernment so in every challenge, I act accordingly, for Your glory.
As the rain and snow 