Great distress (1–3). Nehemiah enjoyed security and prestige as the king’s cupbearer, so there was no reason for him to ask about the needs of people hundreds of miles away. But he loved Jerusalem and was concerned about the welfare of his people (Jer. 15:5). How do you respond when you learn that others are hurting?
A great God (4–9). Nehemiah was a man of prayer; you will find ten of his prayers in this book (1:4ff.; 2:4; 4:4; 5:19; 6:9, 14; 13:14, 22, 29, 31). He believed in a great God (1:5; 4:14; 8:6; 9:32) who kept His promises, forgave sin, and helped His people when they called on Him. Like Ezra before him, Nehemiah identified himself with the sins and sorrows of the nation (Ezra 9:5ff.).
Great power (10–11). Nehemiah did more than weep and pray; he made himself available to the Lord to get the job done. He depended on God’s great power to work in and through him (Eph. 3:20–21). He was not content merely to get answers to prayer: he wanted to be an answer to prayer. Has God used you lately to be an answer to somebody’s prayers?
You Can Make the Difference
It was a day of reproach for the people of God (Neh. 1:3; 2:17; 5:9; 6:13). The great city of Jerusalem was no longer beautiful (Ps. 50:2), and the Jews were no longer powerful. But one man made the difference! Nehemiah led the Jews from great reproach (1:3) to great rejoicing (12:43). God is still seeking men and women willing to sacrifice to do His work. Are you available?
