Sometimes when I read about the life of Nehemiah, I used to wonder if he had the opportunity to read some Psalms of David or more importantly the Proverbs of Solomon, I’m guessing he did considering some of his actions.
For instance, In Nehemiah 1:1-4 he said “In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, 2 Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. 3 They said to me, “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.” 4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven”
At the end of that chapter, we were told that Nehemiah was the King’s cupbearer- an important position indicating that he could get the attention of the King at any time and ask him for anything, yet we were told that Nehemiah did no such thing, instead he kept praying and fasting until the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes as we were told in chapter 2 when God eventually open the eyes of the King to the sorrow of Nehemiah’s heart and prompted him to do something about the broken wall of Jerusalem.
Between the month of Kislev (October/November) and the month of Nisan (March/April) is a space of about four (4)months yet Nehemiah kept praying and fasting hoping for God to touch the heart of the king rather than influencing the process. How was he able to keep it together all this time? He understood Proverbs 3:5-6 when the bible says “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight”
Nehemiah had no intention of moving until God moves, he had the power and the means yet he waited upon the Lord who makes all things beautiful in its time. If you are reading this and for so long you have prayed and now seeing that God seems to be delayed in answering you are seeking to answer your prayer by yourself, you are simply taking the place of God and he doesn’t take too kindly with it.
Consider this his warning unto you to wait, lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight in Jesus name.
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