Text: Nehemiah 1:1-11
Nehemiah receives a visit from his brother, who tells Nehemiah about the sad state Jerusalem is in – the people and the wall. Nehemiah is greatly grieved, he fasts for a number of days, as he prays. First, he confesses the sin of Israel as a nation, then he acknowledges that the exile was deserved, and then he appeals to Yahweh to remember His promise to restore, not to force God, but as a reminder to himself of God’s grace. God wants His people to pray according to His will. Finally, Nehemiah asks Yahweh to bless his efforts when he speaks to the King.
Yahweh will keep His promise to bring the Saviour to Israel, so He was rebuilding it, especially the worship. Because of sin, all humanity has been exiled, sent away from God. By His grace alone, God is bringing His chosen ones back to His Kingdom. Christ’s love for His people brought Him into the world so that He could accomplish all that was necessary to bring us home. And every day, Jesus sits at the Father’s right hand interceding for us. Even now, our King Jesus is bringing His people into His eternal Kingdom.
Meditate on verse 4. How are you going to apply it to your life?
Heavenly Father, help me seek Your face especially when I hear of the evil
that is going on in our land. Amen.