“O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name, and make Your servant successful today and grant him compassion before this man.” Now I was the cupbearer to the king.
Nehemiah 1:11
Have you ever quoted God to God while praying? It works! Nehemiah had just received a report of a remnant of his people who were suffering in Jerusalem. With sadness of heart, he wept, prayed, and fasted. Most of his prayer was a combination of confession and reminding God of what He said would happen if His children abandoned Him, but then also how He would rescue them and bring them back together. There are a few clues Nehemiah gives us on how he interceded and then asked God to help him persuade the king.
1. Nehemiah’s cause was noble; he was on the right side of right and pleading with God to do what He was eager to do, which was to restore His people. You will have many opportunities to ask God to help you do the right thing in your career. God is eager to help you bring His ways into your work. When asking God in prayer, be sure to ask Him according to His “heart,” submitting your desires to His so He can fashion them for eternal success, not just temporary gain. When you put yourself in Nehemiah’s shoes, consider His situation and the big ask He was about to make to the king.
2. Nehemiah asks God’s help in making his ask to the king. Nehemiah is about to make a big ask of a non-Jewish king but first asks God to grant him favor that the king would have compassion on him. It’s difficult to get things done without the support of those in authority. You need influence and favor. As a young professional, I made it a habit to ask God for favor with “God and man” each day. You will need both for your assignment.
3. Nehemiah had access to the king as the cupbearer. Wherever you are in an organization, you have to ask yourself, “Whom do I have access to?” Regardless of where you start, no door is so shut that God cannot open for you. It is often God who is waiting for you—a willing heart is harder to come by than an open door. When an injustice hits your heart hard, that may be God’s heart imprinting on yours. Follow the thread of compassion and go to your knees. It’s possible that God wants to empower you in your position to accomplish a great work.
REFLECT TO CONNECT
- Are there injustices you see that God could use you to help correct?
- Nehemiah was a “builder” of people and walls; what has God called you to build in your career?
- What work project is resonating in your heart that God may want to become a builder with you in?
Praying the promises of God creates favor for you and your cause.
