Nehemiah 1

We don't know much about Nehemiah besides what is revealed to us in the book baring his name. Chronologically, it is believed by most that Nehemiah came to Jerusalem sometimes after Ezra, but before the prophetic ministry of Malachi. In any case, there are some valuable lessons on prayer and leadership found within this great book.

In chapter 1, a Jew from Jerusalem visits Susa where Nehemiah was living. Naturally, Nehemiah asks for a report on the storied city of his people, but the news isn't good. The wall around the city is broken and burned. The remainder of the chapter contains Nehemiah's prayerful reaction to this news. From it (and the book in general) we learn some important features of healthy prayer.

Healthy Prayer is...
1. Spontaneous (Nehemiah prays a lot, sometimes in the middle of conversations!)
2. Out of the heart (v. 4 shows that his prayers came from a genuine heart of concern)
3. Based on God's character (v. 5 shows why he's going to 'God,' only God can answer)
4. Repetitive (v. 6 emphasizes the importance of not giving up in prayer)
5. Humility (v. 7 Nehemiah doesn't use a 'me vs. them' approach, he identifies with the problem)
6. Scriptural (v. 8-9 He quotes Scriptures which align him with God's will)
7. For God's glory (v. 10 shows his ultimate goal to be glory for God's name)
8. Volunteerism (v. 11 demonstrates that he made himself available to be part of the answer)

Much like Esther, Nehemiah was in a position of influence and who knows but that he was there for a time such as this.