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"When I heard these words, I sat down and wept.
I mourned for a number of days,
fasting and praying before the God of the heavens."
(Nehemiah 1:4)
It's a real privilege to share Scripture with each of you this week as our friend Danny gets a much-needed summer break. I believe we all have mutual interests and convictions. We love Jesus; we love His word; we are blessed daily by these devotions. Let's add one more to the list: the Lord is using you to lead one or more people. If not, can we agree He wants to use you to lead others to believe in Him and grow to be like Christ?
In some cases, you lead in an official capacity that probably includes a title such as pastor, director, coach, or chairman. Often the relationship of leader-follower is more informal and develops more spontaneously. For example, I am Papa to three young grandsons, and I am training them to love each other and work together as we tackle projects designed for little boys. We shovel mulch, pick up sticks, and wash cars. Most of the time, the mulch, sticks, and water end up in the correct places. Not always. I provide toddler-size tools, and they provide laughter and energy.
In the book of Nehemiah, the Lord used one of the most exemplary leaders of all time to inspire his followers to accomplish tasks vastly more important and complex than the chores at my house and yours. However, I believe that this remarkable Old Testament leader models for us leadership behaviors that we can implement this week as we respond to what the Lord is calling us to do.
Today we examine the first of several leadership behaviors that are evident in the narrative of Nehemiah's life: the practice of prayer before action. The story begins with the return of his brothers from a trip to Jerusalem. Nehemiah inquires about the city and God's remnant there. The report is not a good one: the city is in ruins, and those who survive are in great trouble and disgrace (verse 3).
What happens next is quite remarkable. Nehemiah is brokenhearted over the plight of people he has never met who live in a city he has never visited. That's so amazing. Why would he respond with such deep anguish? Because it is Jerusalem, also called Zion, the capital of Judah, and the city that represents God's presence with His people. Clearly the future leader believes that the disgrace of the physical city equals the disgrace of the God of Israel.
His response to this tragic news and deep emotional sadness is the second surprise. We are so accustomed to men and women of action. John Wayne, Bruce Willis, Charlie's Angels, and the Equalizer, to name a few actors and fictional characters, confront new problems by taking immediate action. We hear, "He who hesitates is lost," and, "Shoot first and ask questions later."
Nehemiah responded by mourning, fasting, and praying.
What's your takeaway from this passage? As you confront the ugliness of the world in which we live, is your heart broken as you consider the realization that the Lord's heart is surely aching? Secondly, do you pause for a few minutes, days, or even longer to seek God's will and direction as you participate in His solution for those that are lost and hurting?
Take a few minutes and meditate on Nehemiah 1:5-11. Outline his prayer as a simple but powerful model for praise, repentance, and request for guidance.
In closing, I hope that you will be open this week to new opportunities to follow the Holy Spirit's guidance to use you in the lives of those with whom you come in contact—a child or grandchild, a neighborhood friend, the barista that pours your coffee, or a co-worker sharing a project with you. Begin today as Nehemiah did with heartfelt prayer for the brokenness all around us.
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