Nehemiah Episode 3
Three months have passed since we were given an insight into Nehemiah’s prayer as he processes the news from Jerusalem and considers his response. He has asked that God will grant him favour when he speaks to the King and has been waiting for the right moment.
Timing is everything. One of my recurrent prayers is that I would be in the right place at the right time with the right heart, with the right words for the right people.
Nehemiah decides that this day in the month of Nisan will be when he takes the risk of talking to the king. He is a servant and although he has access to the king his position is precarious and he is fearful of losing his position, his freedom or even his life.
Nehemiah 2:1-10 NIV
[1] In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, 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, [2] 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, [3] but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire? ” [4] The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven, [5] and 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 ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.” [6] 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. [7] 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? [8] And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, 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 on me, the king granted my requests. [9] 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. [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.
Nehemiah takes the king’s wine to him. He repurposes a situation to turn it into an opportunity. What is interesting is that he leads with emotion rather than words. He lowers his guard and allows the king to see how he feels. It is clear that he has been sad before but he has never shown this emotion to the king. The king notices, picks up the non verbal cues and asks a question. He knows Nehemiah well enough to discern a difference and he is the kind of leader who seems to care about his servants, even those of a different culture and language. He recognises that Nehemiah is not ill and draws his own conclusion that what he is facing is sadness of heart. The king asks a number of questions in the encounter.
Why does your face look so sad?
What is it you want?
How long will your journey take and when will you get back?
It is the King’s questions that drive the narrative.
Asking good questions enables the King to effectively explore the situation and understand what is going on. Answering questions well enables Nehemiah to develop Artaxerxes sense of what God is doing and for him to actually participate in this.
They find some initial common ground through their connection and this common ground grows through conversation.
At the first question Nehemiah is very much afraid but answers respectfully: “may the king live forever” and truthfully explaining the reaction he has had to the news that has come to him about Jerusalem. We can guess that Nehemiah has earned this right to speak through years of faithful service but he is willing to take the risk of speaking truth.
People need to see a lot of me if they are going to see a little of Jesus. Often we try the reverse and hope that people will see a lot of Jesus if they see a little of me. At camp, at school, at work, in our families and communities we accrue a picture of jesus through how we live and what we say. On the sports field, theatre, studio, office or shop it is this pattern of faithful engagement, fulfilling responsibilities well and being kind, that over time communicates the reality of Jesus.Recognising that we are under authority enables us to answer with grace and truth. As Peter writes in his first letter:
“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,”
At the second question, Nehemiah pauses to pray before he answers. In response to the question “What do you want?”. He seeks the help of the God of heaven. It would have been easy to crack on in his own strength. I certainly find it comes more naturally to talk about God than to him. If we take one thing from this passage into our daily life I suggest it might be “Pause to Pray”.
This pause to pray is vital if we are to involve the Holy Spirit in our conversation and can be in the right place, at the right time, with the right heart, with the right words for the right people. We cannot engineer conversations of significance but the Lord can certainly arrange them.
But Nehemiah is then focussed. Send me so that I can rebuild. This is what he wants. He wants to be sent. He has a clear sense of what is at the heart of his calling.
Nehemiah does not recount an answer to the third question which asks details about the length of the journey and his likely date of return. Instead he details all the things he asked for. As well as praying for the last few months, Nehemiah has been planning. He has thought ahead about what he will need to make this mission successful.
He asks for letters so that his safety will be secured from the governors of the regions he will pass through.
He also asks for timber from the Royal parks for the gates, the walls and his own residence. Upfront in asking permission and authority for what he will need as well as what the work requires. This is important in terms of how this public accountability is connected to integrity.
Nehemiah enters to give and leaves having got a lot more. He even has a military escort provided with officers and cavalry.
We see the importance of prayer, purpose, planning and partnership.
This is great news for Nehemiah
Everything he could have hoped or dreamed has been granted. He recognises that the king has granted him favour and that the gracious hand of God has been upon him. God has answered his prayer. God answers prayer. It is the norm rather than the exception. Prayer is more like putting money in the bank than buying a lottery ticket.
But there is a note of alert in the narrative. Not everyone is happy about what has happened. When news of this event gets back to Jerusalem we hear of two people who are less than enthusiastic. Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite are much disturbed that someone is coming who is concerned for the welfare of the Israelites. The status quo of exploitation, injustice and violence will be upset by this new work of God.
The blessings and successes with Artaxerxes do not mean that it will all be plain sailing. We can sometimes fall into the trap of thinking faith and service are like riding a bike uphill. We put the hard yards in and once we get to the summit we can freewheel to the end. There is inevitably opposition to any work of God.
Opposition does not mean we are doing the wrong thing. Often it means the reverse.
Nehemiah will face enemies whose faces he has not yet seen. Success will ultimately come not because he is going in the name of Artaxerxes but because he is going in the name of the King of Kings.
Interesting in Nehemiah’s experience finding favour with Artaxerxes opens doors and favour with the Lord.
My challenge from this part of the story is to wait on the Lord but to be prepared and be ready to take the key opportunity and have the crucial conversation at the right time. I want to see his kingdom come but my faith needs to grow. Any new work of the Lord has to be rooted in the hearts of his people and of leaders in particular.
I pray that whatever your study or work context is that you would find favour. That people would see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven and that you would know the Lord’s blessing.
At this point the walls have not been rebuilt.
Tears have led to prayer and turned to talking and the prayer and the talking has set some key things in motion.
Leadership has been established and raw materials secured but there is still a need to draw up a detailed plan, to mobilise workers and to overcome opposition.
But without this day in a foreign court, far away there will not be other days when building happens.
God who lays foundations makes plans, God’s plans are taken forward in God’s time
So for me the crux of this is to remember that God is bigger than the biggest challenge I can face, That the opposite of faith is not doubt it is fear and that God can do more in and through my weakness than I can hope for or imagine.