Engage The Word, 40 Days In Nehemiah DAY 5 – FINDING FAVOR WITH GOD AND MAN SCRIPTURE: Nehemiah 2:1-8 In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, 2 so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.” I was very much afraid, 3 but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” 4 The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 5 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 ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.” 6 Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time. 7 I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? 8 And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests. I love this story! God has a plan already worked out for Nehemiah to be able to speak to King Artaxerxes. Nehemiah walks into the presence of the king performing his duty as cupbearer but… When we are pleading and interceding for someone or a situation, it may affect our countenance. In this case, for Nehemiah it did. The king asked, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.” God opens the door for Nehemiah to share his heart! Notice how Nehemiah responds to the king. I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, “May the king live forever!” …Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, “If it please the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight…” “I also said to him, “If it please the king,…” (Nehemiah 2:2b-3; 4b-5, 7) Nehemiah was in no way disrespectful to the king and queen. God had opened the door for communication. Nehemiah has responded in an appropriate and respectful way, and now Nehemiah is able to lay out his plan to the king that will help Jerusalem and the children of Israel living there. Because of Nehemiah’s position with the king, he is able to ask for some needed letters to provide safe travel and timber to make beams needed for building. Nehemiah ends this passage, “And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.” LIFE APPLICATION: And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men (Luke 2:52). Jesus showed us what it is to have the right vertical relationship with God, which will produce the right horizontal relationship with those we come in contact. How are your horizontal relationships? How is your vertical relationship? SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE(S): Luke 2:52; Colossians 3:12-17; Ephesians 4:32-5:2; Hebrews 12:14
Posted on: Sun, 20 Oct 2013 11:47:01 +0000
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