Standing in the Gap - 2

Nehemiah prays. He prays audaciously. He dares, as do others, to remind God of His promises! And yet, in his audacity he stops short of telling God what to do, or how to do it. He doesn't even start to get in to specifics. Just that his heart has broken for something, he brings it to God and then he prays that God would make him successful.

We don't know what Nehemiah was thinking. If he was starting to map out a next step, the story doesn't tell us, but we do know that he knows who he is and what his sphere of influence is.

Then, God steps up to the plate...

Starting with a conversation that is only possible because of Nehemiah's good service to the king in the past, God sets in motion a series of events, without which His-story would just stall.

I have to apologise if I run ahead and I need to encourage you to read this story and see how it develops, but...with the Kings permission, Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem, the whole thing snowballs and the exiles unite (all tribes & tongues etc) and rebuild the walls (and gates!) of Jerusalem. Of course there are enemies that aren't happy about all of this, but God has it in hand. So with the walls partially rebuilt, but a lot of work to do, Nehemiah takes action...

Nehemiah 4

13 Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. 14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes."