Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Nehemiah 1:8-2:5 "Turning"


            “I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, ‘May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city, where my fathers are buried, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?’ The king said to me, ‘What is it you want?’ Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, ‘If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it.”

            Nehemiah knew that the Israelites were human and had done wrong in the eyes of the Lord, but he also knew that if they would turn from their ways, God would show favor to them once more. After much prayer, Nehemiah went before Artaxerxes, King of the Medo-Persian empire to request permission to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. Though he was very afraid, Nehemiah prayed and left everything to God before telling the king his request. He put his faith in God that the Lord would hold to His promises. Soon Nehemiah set off for Jerusalem, knowing that the Lord went with him.

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