Human Response 590: Pray, Weep, and Fast

Nehemiah 1:4, 6 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,…Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel the servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned.

Nehemiah was still in Babylon when he heard the report of the poor condition of the returnees to Jerusalem and that the walls were broken down. He was sad and angry, but his Godly response to the news was to turn to the Lord in repentance and prayer. Prayer is our first response, not our last resort.

Nehemiah prayed for several days with weeping and fasting, turning the bad news over to the Lord. He demonstrated the elements of effective prayer: 1) praise, 2) thanksgiving, 3) repentance, 4) specific requests, and 5) commitment. He may not have meant it that way, but he became an instrument in God’s hands to be the answer to his prayer.

Heartfelt prayers like this can help clarify: 1) any problem you may be facing, 2) God’s great power to help you, 3) the job you have to do. When God’s people pray, difficult decisions fall into proper perspective, and appropriate actions follow.

Nehemiah even included himself and his family in confessing the sins of the people against God. He believed that God was good, kind, and merciful, that He would forgive their sins and answer their prayers. At any time during hard times, difficult conditions, or painful circumstances we may turn to the Lord in repentance, prayer, and faith. How do we respond to adversity?