He also recognizes that the reason Israel and Judah have fallen into captivity and lost so much...
SIN.
Humbling himself before the almighty Nehemiah confessed his own sin and that of the Jewish people, clearly stating what is needed for repentance, and asking God to grant him favor to help the remnant in the city of Jerusalem so that the temple worship may continue. I suspect he realized that they had lost all assurance of every hearing from God again (or receiving His help) and that rebuilding the walls and gates of the city would be symbolic of God's protecting hand once again blessing Israel. It would not only bring physical security, but much needed hope.
Many of us recognize that America is in a similar position. Thankfully, we have not had our people carried off into captivity, but it has certainly happened in African countries, even in the 21st century. And we ARE experiencing a kind of bondage... financial debt for example.
And so as we go through the book of Nehemiah, there will be many lessons to learn which we will want to APPLY to our lives. Prayer is certainly a theme and godly character trait that we should want to apply. So here's our opportunity...
During the 10 weeks of this study, let's commit to praying for America. We'll set aside some time each week in class to do this corporately, but we can pray individually as well, like Nehemiah did. Please visit Pray for America and take some time looking over the site. You'll find plenty of help to keep you motivated in your prayers for our nation, as well as resources to specifically pray. Podcasts, a blog, phone prayer, social media prayer alerts... all working to help you be fervent and effectual in your intercession for our nation. (I've also included a link on the sidebar)
See you in class!
Amy
