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Nehemiah, Man of Prayer and Action
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the royal presence. In those halls of luxury, everyone must appear
lighthearted and happy. But when Nehemiah was alone, concealed
from human sight, he offered many prayers and tears that were heard
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and witnessed by God and angels.
Finally, sleepless nights and care-filled days left their mark on
his face. The king, jealous for his own safety, was accustomed to
read facial expressions and to see through disguises. He saw that
some secret trouble was eating away at his cupbearer. “Why is your
face sad,” he inquired, “since you are not sick? This is nothing but
sorrow of heart.”
Would the king be angry that while Nehemiah was outwardly
engaged in his service, his thoughts had been far away with his
afflicted people? His cherished plan for restoring Jerusalem—was
it about to be overthrown? “So,” he writes, “I became dreadfully
afraid.” With tearful eyes he revealed the cause of his sorrow: “Why
should my face not be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’
tombs, lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire?”
This awakened the monarch’s sympathy. “What do you request?”
The man of God did not dare to reply till he had asked for direc-
tion from One higher than Artaxerxes. He needed the king’s help,
and he realized that much depended on his presenting the matter in
such a way as to secure his aid. “I prayed,” he said, “to the God
of heaven.” In that brief prayer Nehemiah pressed his way into the
presence of the King of kings and won to his side a power that can
turn hearts.
In the busy walks of life, when we are almost overwhelmed with
perplexity, we can send up a prayer to God for divine guidance.
Travelers, when threatened with some great danger, can commit
themselves to Heaven’s protection. In times of sudden difficulty the
heart may send up its cry for help to the One who has pledged to
come to the aid of His believing ones when they call on Him. When
temptation comes at its fiercest, the believer may find support in the
unfailing power and love of a God who keeps His promises.
God Gave Nehemiah Courage
In that brief moment of prayer Nehemiah received courage to
ask Artaxerxes for authority to build up Jerusalem and make it once