Pray, plan and move out!
Nehemiah 2:1-10
“I would rather walk in the dark with God than go alone in the light. I would rather walk with Him by faith than walk alone by sight.” Mary Gardner Brainard
“Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading.” Oswald Chambers
It was a mild October afternoon in 1982 and Badger Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin was packed. Over 60,000 die-hard University of Wisconsin fans were watching their beloved football team take a beating by Michigan State. What seemed odd was that as the score became more and more lopsided bursts of cheers and applause kept being heard in the stands. It was only natural that some people began to wonder who these strange people were who were cheering while their team was being pummeled.
As it turns out seventy miles away from Badger stadium the Milwaukee Brewers were beating the St. Louis Cardinals in game three of the World Series. Many of the Badger fans in the stands were listening to portable radios and responding to something else besides what was happening right in front of their eyes.
In THIS arena...a lopsided defeat. In THAT arena...VICTORY!
In many ways that is a fairly accurate description of what the Christian life is like. We might be in the midst of horrible circumstances RIGHT NOW and yet we have something to hold on to...something that we may not be able to SEE yet, but know that God has given us confidence BY FAITH that it’s just a matter of time!
1.) Faith may require PATIENCE- (v.1)
“In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes…” (Nehemiah 2:1a)
Nehemiah has been in PRAYER and periods of FASTING before the Lord for 4 MONTHS concerning the plight of his people in Jerusalem.
Let there be NO DOUBT that when God’s people sense that something needs to be done...a heart needs to be changed...a church needs to be revived...a nation needs to be turned- God calls upon His people to PRAY and to persist in prayer!
Luke 18:1- “Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and NOT GIVE UP!”
2.) Faith demands responsible SERVICE- (v.1-2)
“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; so the king asked me, ‘Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill?”
As the king’s “cupbearer”, Nehemiah was responsible to see that the food and drink given to the king was safe. He would personally make sure that neither was poisoned and, in this role, was TRUSTED by the king and him showing up every day was vital...for the king likely preferred to eat every day!!
I think it’s important to point out that WAITING for God to answer his prayers didn’t keep Nehemiah from doing his job.
-Was he somewhat distracted? Probably!
-Might he have feelings of depression? Maybe!
-Was he weary and worn out from his prayer and fasting? Definitely (according to the text)
**BUT HE STILL SHOWED UP AND DID HIS JOB...in fact, this is the first time his internal struggle really showed in his outward appearance:
“I had not been sad in the king’s presence before.”
-Some might question: “Is this right? Isn’t it like ‘denial’ or something for Nehemiah to act like everything’s OK? He should have been sad earlier...let King Atrexerxes know he was ‘bummed out’.” (“If you FEEL it, SAY IT or SHOW IT!!”)
-I disagree...I think sometimes we fall into the “trap” of settling for human sympathy and miss out on God’s solution. We walk around and put our BURDENS on public display...and we LOOK MISERABLE...and people FEEL SORRY for us...and that’s good enough.
**Jesus talked about this misguided trade-off:
Matthew 6:16-18: “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
**WHILE WE WAIT FOR GOD’S ANSWER...until orders change...CONTINUE TO SERVE!
3.) Faith may require TAKING RISKS- (v.1-3)
“I had not been sad in the king’s presence before; 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, 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?”
**Rule #1 about serving a king… Do NOT be a bummer!
Do NOT bring the king down with your problems
To enter the presence of the king SAD or to talk about your problems was extremely risky. A king wanted to be served and made happy and Nehemiah was literally taking his CAREER if not HIS LIFE in his hands by letting his burden show this day.
“Hey...the last point was about NOT acting this way!”
Actually...the point was about being AUTHENTIC before God. Nehemiah is not seeking the sympathy of King Atrexerxes...he is before the one HUMAN who can help his cause and today the burden God has placed upon his heart is too heavy to deny. This is an “ALL or NOTHING” day...not a pity-party.
4.) Faith and PRAYER are inseparable- (v. 4)
“The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven.”
This is a powerful example...and more evidence of the kind of man Nehemiah is. He has BEEN praying for 4 months. He is weary and worn by his prayer and fasting...and NOW, in this “all or nothing” moment...he pauses in his heart...to pray again
-I want to remind you of the prayer that Nehemiah has been praying: Chapter 1, v. 11:
“Give your servant success TODAY by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”
-It is COMPLETELY fair to assume that Nehemiah’s DAILY prayer was, “God, give me success today...God, give me favor with the king today…” But that he WAITED until…the RIGHT MOMENT...and here it is! But he stops and just asks, “Lord, is this it? Is this the moment I’ve been praying for? I’ve been praying that you would grant me favor and I need the courage to step out now!”
**I found a quote that I just LOVED about this important moment in Nehemiah’s life:
“Success comes when a thousand hours of preparation meet one moment of opportunity.” Here’s Nehemiah’s one moment of opportunity.
5.) Faith and planning are not ENEMIES- (v.5-9)
“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.” 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. 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? And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king’s forest, 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 upon me, the king granted my requests. So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.”
-Please do not think that “faith” means always “flying by the seat of your pants”.
-Faith and Planning...Prayer and Planning DO co-exist.
-The KEY to their relationship is found in Verse 8: “because the gracious hand of God was upon me, the king granted my requests.”
Psalm 127:1 says: “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.”
**It was important that Nehemiah PRAY because the heart of the king had been against the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
**But is was important that Nehemiah PLAN because when the king asked what he needed, Nehemiah’s answer was critical...I need this much time...and I need letters so I can get there safely...and I need permission to obtain building materials.
THEN GOD ADDS THE BONUS: He moved in Artexerxes’ heart to do even more and he sent Nehemiah with officers and soldiers to protect Nehemiah along the way!
6.) Faith may bring OPPOSITION- (v.10)
“When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.”
Simply: God’s leading and blessing DOES NOT necessarily mean no trials/opposition
APPLICATION:
Blondin was a famous French tight-rope walker and acrobat. His greatest fame came in 1859 when, at age 35 he walked a 1100 foot tight-rope suspended 160 feet above the waters of Niagara Falls. Blondin went on to walk across the falls several times each with a different theatrical flare. On one trip Blondin crossed over the falls pushing a wheelbarrow. When he reached the other side he asked the spectators if they believed he could do it again. Everyone cheered. Blondin then asked if they believed he could again cross the tight-rope with someone in the wheelbarrow. Everyone cheered believing that he could do it and wanting to see this incredible stunt. Blondin then asked for a volunteer to ride in the wheelbarrow. No one stepped forward. It was one thing to believe Blondin could do what they had all seen him do, and another to put your life in his hands letting him push you across the falls on the high wire.
