Four practical lessons from Nehemiah

The first 2 chapters of Nehemiah tell the experience of a fellow that found favor and received power from the highest authority in his land to accomplish his heart desire. 

This is a scenario that is replicated in various forms all over the world, and if you are a Christian in a similar position, there is are a few lessons you can learn from this story.

1. His understanding of the situation birthed a deep burden and concern about the situation, particularly as it pertained to God's glory

Nehemiah had heard about the sorry state of Jerusalem from his new place of abode, Persia, and the news disturbed him deeply. He took this burden and converted it into weeping, prayers, and fasting. 

On a frequent basis, we encounter disturbing reports about our society, our family, our church, our nation. The big question is: what are we doing with all this information? Are they just sound bites that we respond to with a sigh and an "it is well"? Do we think about the long-term impact of these reports on the work of God in our world, whether they are in line with His plans for redemption, for peace, for the manifestation of His goodness in our world? Does the degradation of the world around us concern us deeply, or are we only concerned with things that directly impact us? 

The perspective that makes us only pray and get burdened for things that affect us directly is too narrow-minded for Christians that have been endowed with so much power through Christ and His Holy Spirit. 

The destruction of Jerusalem in Nehemiah's time posed a threat to the fulfillment of God's redemption promises and plan for the world: if there was no Jerusalem, where would the Messiah be born, and where would He fulfill His work? 

Because of this, it is important that we consider the long-term impact of emerging issues on our world, and be more determined about tackling them in prayer.

2. He made direct, specific prayer requests to God about the situation

Nehemiah knew exactly what role he would be playing in solving the situation, and so his prayer was specific: Give me favor with the King. 

Before you pray a particular prayer, ask yourself: will I recognize the answer to this prayer when it comes? Some of us pray very vague prayers ("Bless me, Enlarge my coast," etc) that make it hard to detect when the answers come through. 

Strengthen your faith and allow God to prove Himself to you by being specific in your prayer requests.

3. His maintained disposition at work prior to the situation made the pathway to getting results simpler for him

Nehemiah's boss realized something was wrong, from the change in his disposition at work. Sadly, there are too many of us that cannot get any special attention from this approach, because others have gotten used to our always glum faces. 

This raises a question: what is our current attitude to work? Are we the murmurers and complainers, finding something wrong in everything, and casting a dark cloud wherever we go? If this is the case, it is time to make a change. We have the fruit of Joy from the Holy Spirit, if it is not radiating through us into our world, what then is its purpose? 

Also closely related to this point is the place of diligence. "Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men" This was clearly Nehemiah's story (otherwise he would not have gotten the attention of his boss), and a strong pattern for us to emulate.

4. Powerful people have limited time and patience: be ready with your requests before you come into their presence

The powerful person in your scenario may be your immediate boss, or your CEO, or a governor, president, or a wealthy investor, or some other highly placed individual. Whoever it is, you may only get one less-than-five-minutes shot to make your request heard. 

It is best to make sure you are ready for the conversation, by knowing what role you are going to play in the solution, and what resources you require from the person. These come from the place of prayer, as Nehemiah demonstrated in this case.