Biblical Lessons For Life

Nehemiah Prayed to God

Nehemiah 1
[5]Then I said,"O lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands,
[6]listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned!
[7]We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses.
[8]"Please remember what you told your servant Moses: 'If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations.
[9]But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.'
[10]"The people you rescued by your great power and strong hand are your servants.
[11]O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me."In those days I was the king's cup-bearer.

     Nehemiah fasted and prayed for several days, expressing his sorrow for Israel's sin and his desire that Jerusalem would again come alive with the worship of the one true God.

    Nehemiah demonstrated the elements of effective prayer:
1. Praise
2. Thanksgiving
3. Repentance
4. Specific request and
5. Commitment

     Heartfelt prayers like Nehemiah's can clarify (1) any problem you may be facing (2) God's great power to help you and (3) the job you have to do. By the end of his prayer time, Nehemiah knew what action he had to take (1:11). When God's people pray, difficult decisions fall into proper perspective and appropriate actions follow.