Nehemiah 1

Nehemiah wrote, “When I heard that the walls around Jerusalem were still lying in runs and that the exiles that had returned to Jerusalem were in great disgrace, I sat down and wept and mourned for many days.  Then I prayed, ‘God you made great promises to love and protect your people but you also promised to send hardship if we rejected you.  We have done just that and so we have seen your temple destroyed and your people scattered. I confess the sins of my people and I beg you to keep your promise to restore us if we return to you.  Now restore us by blessing my plans to ask the king of Persia to let me go rebuild the walls around your city.’” – Nehemiah 1 – Paraphrased

Dear Heavenly Father,

Ancient Nehemiah understood you and your ways because he meditated on your word.  He was upset by the same things that upset you.  His heart beat in rhythm with yours.  So, he begged you to let him go rebuild the walls around Jerusalem.  He was the answer to his own prayer for you to restore your people.  Make me like your servant, Nehemiah.  Make my heart beat in rhythm with yours.  Help me see what is important to you and to make it important to me also.  Help me to see how you want me to spend what is left of my life. Help me to focus on building up your people and to spread your powerful word.  Keep me on mission so I do not spend my life on worthless pursuits. Make my life an investment that outlasts time.  

AMEN

Pastor Don Patterson

Godly people are moved by the things that move their God.