Nehemiah : WK 2 - TUE
Time
Nehemiah 1:4
When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.
Nehemiah 2:1
Early the following spring, in the month of Nisan…
I love action. Many of us do. But I love it to the extreme. This may be why I struggle to remember to ask questions or listen carefully to the responses. If I can be vulnerable for a moment, I often need to scold myself because my mind races too quickly through solutions the moment a problem is shared. I can recall times when a person isn’t even finished describing their scenario, that I realize I’ve got my phone out to call the perfect person for the job I believe comes next.
All of this leads me to read Nehemiah’s reaction to his brothers’ news with a sense of awe and wonder. He is moved to tears. More strikingly, his weeping is so convulsive that he must sit down. What does he do? Nothing! Or so it seems at first glance.
Be careful not to equate action with outward activity. I might have reacted quickly—making the call, loading the truck, or calling the meeting. Not Nehemiah. He directs the action inward. This is very different from doing nothing.
Nehemiah lets the information play over in his mind, considering and reconsidering it. He feels deeply, mourning purposefully as he breaks his routine through fasting. He prays, engaging in conversation with the One who cares even more than he does. He suspends any conclusion or reaction for a time. The upcoming verses reveal that Nehemiah experiences confession, repentance, and gratitude during these lengthy exchanges with Yahweh. He gains clarity about what God is asking him to do, the resources needed, and the time required for the mission. All of this accumulates, tear by tear, thought by thought.
By the time Nehemiah is ready to voice his request before King Artaxerxes, four months of prayer and solitude have taken effect (the time between the months mentioned in Nehemiah 1:1 and 2:1). I wonder, is there something happening in your life, or in the life of your spiritual community, that could benefit from a slow cook—a reduction born of time and temperature that fosters a deeper sense of commitment and purpose? And what might God wish to communicate that will remain unheard amidst the rush for solutions too eagerly pursued?
Nehemiah 1:4
When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.
Nehemiah 2:1
Early the following spring, in the month of Nisan…
I love action. Many of us do. But I love it to the extreme. This may be why I struggle to remember to ask questions or listen carefully to the responses. If I can be vulnerable for a moment, I often need to scold myself because my mind races too quickly through solutions the moment a problem is shared. I can recall times when a person isn’t even finished describing their scenario, that I realize I’ve got my phone out to call the perfect person for the job I believe comes next.
All of this leads me to read Nehemiah’s reaction to his brothers’ news with a sense of awe and wonder. He is moved to tears. More strikingly, his weeping is so convulsive that he must sit down. What does he do? Nothing! Or so it seems at first glance.
Be careful not to equate action with outward activity. I might have reacted quickly—making the call, loading the truck, or calling the meeting. Not Nehemiah. He directs the action inward. This is very different from doing nothing.
Nehemiah lets the information play over in his mind, considering and reconsidering it. He feels deeply, mourning purposefully as he breaks his routine through fasting. He prays, engaging in conversation with the One who cares even more than he does. He suspends any conclusion or reaction for a time. The upcoming verses reveal that Nehemiah experiences confession, repentance, and gratitude during these lengthy exchanges with Yahweh. He gains clarity about what God is asking him to do, the resources needed, and the time required for the mission. All of this accumulates, tear by tear, thought by thought.
By the time Nehemiah is ready to voice his request before King Artaxerxes, four months of prayer and solitude have taken effect (the time between the months mentioned in Nehemiah 1:1 and 2:1). I wonder, is there something happening in your life, or in the life of your spiritual community, that could benefit from a slow cook—a reduction born of time and temperature that fosters a deeper sense of commitment and purpose? And what might God wish to communicate that will remain unheard amidst the rush for solutions too eagerly pursued?
- On a scale from 1 to 10, how impulsive are you? What do you think contributes to this?
- Have you recently made a purchase that you regretted or had to return? What prompted your decision?
- What current issue in your life do you believe God wants you to sit with and reflect on for a while?
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