PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Nehemiah 1-2
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king.” (Nehemiah 2:4-5)
I like how Nehemiah speaks to both kings at the same time.
He talks to God, and he answers king Artaxerxes.
He acts in both the realm of Spirit, and the realm of man.
Which, properly speaking should always overlap.
We were made to live in THIS world with God as our helper.
Life cannot be separated into spiritual vs. practical, worldly matters.
Everything and everyone we engage with is connected to God.
I sense the Lord gently challenging me for how I tend to separate them.
Either I work at something, or I pray about something.
Or I work first, then pray, sometimes as a last resort.
Some people see prayer as our only work, but God designed us for both.
As St. Benedict said, ‘ora et labora’, which means pray AND work.
Pray as I visit, as I study, as I build, as I parent, as I lead.
This is God’s kingdom restored, heaven and earth reunited as a team again!
PRAYER
Lord, you’ve invited me to join with your work in the world. You’ve offered me your strength and support to live my life with you, like you, for you. Help me not to forget about you as I do my work each day.
Stepping out in faith and taking God at His word – that’s what Nehemiah did – and he did it by bathing all that he did with prayer – from his answer to the King, the secret survey, his address to the remnant and his answer to the taunts of Sanballat and others! Walking in prayer and in faith – that is the Christian’s way – too often I follow my own way. Help me Lord to stay in tune with your ways – to pray and do! Then you allow me to do more than I could – a success in terms of your Kingdom is the blessing.
He is everywhere.
Starting the day, ending the day with devotions is only part of living for Jesus. I am a kingdom worker working in His creation and I need His presence every hour to lead and guide me in my work. During the day I need also to talk to God as I work. I need to listen to the voice saying this is the way – walk in it. I too need to rise up and build to do His will. I need His presence every hour as I serve my risen Saviour.
In the stars His handiwork I see,
On the wind He speaks with majesty,
‘Though He ruleth over land and sea,
What is that to me?
I will celebrate Nativity,
For it has a place in history,
Sure, He came to set His people free,
What is that to me?
Till by faith I met Him face to face, ah-ah-ahhh!
and I felt the wonder of His grace,
Then I knew that He was more than just
A God who didn’t care,
That lived a way out there and (now)
Now He walks beside me day by day,
Ever watching o’er me lest I stray,
Helping me to find that narrow way,
He’s Everything to me.