Soap Journal Based on Nehemiah 1 “Moved to Pray, Prayer that Moves” S = 1:3-4 They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. O = Nehemiah heard bad news about the condition of God’s people who had returned to the land. It so deeply impacted him that he wept over Jerusalem’s condition and he took the matter up with the One who would not only listen to him pour out his heart but who could do something to change things. The condition of Jerusalem was dependent upon their covenant relationship with God. If the walls were still broken then the place to start was getting right with God. Nehemiah does this through his personal faith, humility, and confession. He also is willing to be a part of the answer to his prayer and risk not only his trusted position, but his very life, to present the problem to the king. Nehemiah is then sent to rebuild the walls with the king’s permission. But the battle was only beginning. A = Pastor Randy said Sunday, “You can tell a lot about a person by what they cry about and what makes them angry.” I appreciate Nehemiah’s vision to investigate and determine the problem and want to see it fixed. But what I appreciate even more was his prayerful consideration of why something needed to be done. He didn’t become passive and disengage from the issue, but neither did he take things into his own hands. It seems to me that Nehemiah is an example of someone who takes time to put himself in God’s hands before he presumes to be those hands. We desperately need to be “wall-builders” but only after we seek to understand what God has said about the purpose and nature of such “walls”. If we don’t take time to theologically ground our plan and actions in the person and character of God, then we can be sure that our work will be fleeting. I don’t want my attitude or actions to be a hindrance to those that would seek after the Lord. P = O Lord, how it grieves you when your people refuse to seek you and settle for the status quo of lukewarm religion. May we be stirred up by your Holy Spirit, to see what grieves you in our land and ask you what we should do to make it right! There are so many problems that it is hard to know which way to go or what good our efforts could ever accomplish, so help us to listen for your voice. Help us to be passionate about what you are passionate about, nothing less—and may that passion move us to action consistent with your Name. Amen.
Posted on: Wed, 09 Apr 2014 18:39:47 +0000
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