As I was planning my wedding, I received all sorts of advice on things, from the best way to arrange centerpieces to why I should have assigned seating to how the reception should be run. The best wisdom I got, however, wasn’t even about the “big day”: Don’t stress about the wedding; it’s only one day. It’s the marriage you should plan for. This nugget has stayed with me for years, and I often find myself applying it to lots of other major events. So many times, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of a job interview, a graduation, a new baby, without stopping to consider life afterwards. But once the door closes, the lights fade, or the crying begins, panic about the future may begin to settle in. These events will make or break us, and we can either be left with ruin or peace, depending on how we set about building the foundation.
In the book of Nehemiah, the king’s cupbearer receives difficult news about his brethren in Jerusalem: all of the building work has stopped and worse, been destroyed. This is a huge setback for those hoping to rebuild a nation in exile. The very first thing Nehemiah does is prepare his heart for prayer. He knows his calling is to physically restore Jerusalem, and he knows he must ask the king for permission. But although these things are clear, he also knows that without the Lord’s blessing, no amount of planning will bring about success. So, he makes prayer his first priority.
Too many times, prayer feels like a last-ditch effort when all else has failed. We trust our own devices, thinking that somehow our best will be enough to fix things. We think that somehow, we can go on in our own strength as the foundation of our lives. But Nehemiah makes it clear that prayer is the foundation of his life. Amid all the chaos and worry, he takes the time to begin with God, even though he probably just wanted to jump in and get the ball rolling. Nehemiah cries out to God in anguish, bringing his pain, his frustration, and his sins. He pleads with God to remember His people and the promises He made to them. And finally, at the end of it all, he humbly asks God to grant him mercy in the king’s eyes.
I can take many lessons from Nehemiah’s prayer. The first is probably the most important: prayer is not one method for dealing with troubles; it is the method. No other action or preparation on our part will do.
The second is that we must approach God as we are–as sinners. Nothing we can do will change that fact, and to ignore it is to be spiritually irresponsible. Romans 3:23 tells us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (ESV). Not some, not most, but all. Though we are sinners, we are invited to approach God thanks to Jesus’ sacrifice.
The third lesson I take from Nehemiah is that nothing is too small or too great to ask of God. Although Nehemiah was the king’s cupbearer, making him a trusted person of the royal staff, he recognized the precarious position his request could place him in. The king could be merciful and hear his words, or he could order him put to death. Thus, it was crucial to have God’s blessing, for no earthly status could protect Nehemiah from the whims of the king. No amount of climbing the social ladder would help him in this case, even though in the eyes of the world, he deserved a favorable answer.
This brings me to the fourth lesson: good things take time to build. Nehemiah didn’t just take an evening of fasting and prayer, or even a week. He was praying for four months before he went to the king! This shows his dedication to seeking the Lord and to starting the work properly. Later in the book we read about the careful planning and preparation that goes into rebuilding Jerusalem, but it all began with Nehemiah’s attitude of prayer.
Often, I get so caught up in planning that I forget to consult God. How much heartache and ruined plans could be avoided if I just did this from the start! And of course, good things require planning if they’re going to succeed. Imagine trying to build a city without any idea of a blueprint for the end product. Or trying to get married without any thought to the marriage afterwards. Or having a baby without doing any of the preparation for bringing home a newborn. Nobody wants to put so much time and investment into something without a clear vision or goal. So why do it without first talking to God, the best Consultant we have? After all, if something is worth taking the time to build, we must start with a good foundation.