SCRIPTURE: Nehemiah 1
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
‘O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honouring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favourable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.’ In those days I was the king’s cup-bearer. [Nehemiah 1:11]
As followers of Jesus, we are to tell others about Jesus, God and the kingdom of God.
We are positioned where we are (whether as cup-bearers to the king, as line workers at the plant, as teachers in the classroom) so that we can witness by our actions and words to the good news message of Jesus.
This is not an easy task, but one that grips our heart because we want Jesus to be known and honoured; it is our delight to honour Jesus!
But we also know that we cannot succeed without divine help.
Nehemiah was well aware that he was taking a huge risk – his job, his future – by approaching the king about the concerns of Jerusalem and the Jews; why should the king care?
But Nehemiah is more confident in the help of the King of kings (ie God) than in the help of the king.
You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me. For the Good News must first be preached to all nations. But when you are arrested and stand trial, don’t worry in advance about what to say. Just say what God tells you at that time, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit. [Mark 13:9-11]
Jesus is speaking about a time when His followers are forced to defend themselves in the world, to explain what they believe and why.
But He also stresses that their confidence is not in themselves, their words or their ability to win over their audience; their confidence is in the Spirit of God (divine help) speaking through them.
Wherever we are, whatever we do, we have the opportunity to show and tell people about Jesus.
Do not worry, says Jesus, trust in God and His help.
Like Nehemiah, go and speak, confident that God will prepare the way for your message, and will speak through us.
How do we know what to say?
“Just say what God tells you at that time…”; this requires that we have listening hearts, paying attention in the critical moment for the whisper of the Spirit, for what He impresses us on to say.
If you pay attention to the thoughts and impressions in your heart and mind, the Spirit will give you a sense of what to say.
This is not a formula, a memorizing of a ‘canned’ speech; listen with your heart, pay attention to what you sense at the moment, in yourself and in the people you are with.
Speak humbly and gently, then trust God to do the rest.
Then pray Nehemiah’s prayer: Please grant me success today by making (this person) favourable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.
PRAYER:
Lord, I have sensed Your whisperings in my soul, but I have not always followed them – afraid or uncomfortable – help me to trust Your Spirit and to speak and pray and trust!
Once again, God has spoken thru the words He has given you. I am so afraid of going through my trial, yet I am there and God tells me thru you to trust in Him and He will do it all; may God write this on my heart so I wont forget it! Thank you, once again
“Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”
This is only a possibility if I but listen to the voice saying’This is the Way, Walk in it.’ Obey the the Word of the Lord. God remembers His covenant promises, but do I? Praise be to God who listens to the prayers of His people, especially to those who ask for forgiveness of going away from His way. I/we need to be faithful at all times and not stray from His Word.
Lord, help me to be GodStrong so that I can be FaithStrong and SpiritStrong. Help me this day and every day to live in Christ Jesus who leads and guides me in the Way. He is my Forerunner showing theWay in which to go. Help me to follow Him this day so I can serve You in all I do and say. Then I can have success.
Thy Word is a lamp to my feet, O Lord,
Thy Word is a light to my way;
It shines in my soul like a star by night,
And comforts and cheers me by day.
Refrain
O wonderful, wonderful Word,
My treasure, my hope, and my stay;
Each promise recorded delights my soul,
And brightens each step of my way.
Thy Word is a lamp to my feet, O Lord,
And, trusting in Thee as my all,
Whatever of evil may cross my path,
I never, no, never can fall.
Refrain
Thy Word is a lamp to my feet, O Lord,
And oh, when Thy glory I see,
For all the rich blessings its truth has brought,
The praises will I give unto Thee.