Nehemiah's prayer for God's kingdom

(Please note that this sermon finishes rather abruptly. As the preacher was drawing to a close, someone in the congregation was suddenly and violently stricken with a known and recurrent problem. The disruption was sufficient to make further preaching unwise).

Here is a prayer of a man who desires or delights to fear the Lord for the people of God and the city of God

Nehemiah looks up in adoration and humility to the Lord God of heaven. His whole prayer begins with and is conditioned by a Scripturally-accurate view of the living God, breeding faith and expectation.

Nehemiah looks within in confession and repentance. He is conscious of man corrupted and God offended, and of his responsibility both as a member of God’s people, and as an individual before God.

Nehemiah looks back in remembrance and gratitude. He grounds himself in God’s words and God’s deeds, his promises (“I will scatter” and “I will gather”) and his saving acts. He quotes God’s promises back to him, claiming the attention that God’s own inheritance merits.

Finally, Nehemiah looks around and ahead in confidence and hope. He builds to the point of petition, which is general, from a sense of unity and specific, from a sense of purpose. Nehemiah has laid plans for the glory of God and the blessing of the people and the city. He asks God to bless those plans.

There are lessons for our own perspectives and prayers, as well as a broad outline appropriate for all who would draw near to God.