Is prayer your first response to news requiring action? (117-1)
Something powerful happens when a Christian leader has a broken heart for the people and prays for guidance. Read Nehemiah 1:1-4.
Nehemiah was a Jewish man who served King Artaxerxes of Persia as a cupbearer. He was not only a personal attendant to Artaxerxes but part of his job was to sample the wine and food placed before Artaxerxes to insure it was not poisoned. It was a job that called for complete trust between the king and Nehemiah. Nehemiah’s job called for his presence in Babylon with the king but Nehemiah’s assignment from God would be to go to Jerusalem to lead God’s people to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem and re-establish a national unity and pride as God’s people.
The book of Nehemiah opens with Nehemiah serving the king at the summer palace when his brother, Hanani, returned from Judah. One topic of conversation was the condition of the people and the city of Jerusalem. The report was not good. According to verse 3, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”
Nehemiah’s response to this news: “When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven” (v 4). Something powerful happens when a leader has compassion, prays and stands in the gap for his team. Godly leaders know the power of intercessory prayer. A leader’s prayers accomplish several things:
- Prayer internalizes the burden, deepening the leader’s ownership of the need.
- Prayer requires a leader to quiet his heart and wait allowing God to speak on His schedule.
- Prayer allows God to give the leader His vision so the leader has confidence to respond according to God’s purposes.
- When a leader believes the prayer has been answered it becomes a catalyst to act.
What is your first response to news that you believe requires action? If prayer is not your first action determine why not?
Tags: Prayer
Trackback from your site.
Comments (2)
I always learn something new
An ouch moment for most of us, I think! Joshua neglected to inquire of the Lord when the deceitful Gibeonites arrived, to Israel’s shame and harm.
Of course being desirous of playing devil’s advocate, I have to ask if being overly devote does not have its drawbacks (alluding to Ecclesiates). In the midst of ordinary tasks and bustle, is it necessary to pause at every turn to ask the Lord for specific blessing and wisdom? Perhaps someone can answer that.
On the flip side, if by constant use we have our spiritual senses exercised, we can then more readily discern between good and evil even when distracted and busy. I am again reminded of one of my sister’s former violin teachers. The teacher was a professional violinist with a major city orchestra, yet she spent five hours a day on the basics and fundamentals of violin practice. So too those are blessed who meditate both day and night upon the law of Christ.