A S P E C T S - a monthly devotional journal For subscription information on receiving Aspects every month via e-mail, or the laser-printed edition by mail, see NOTES, COPYRIGHT & SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION near the end of this file. Aspects is written by David S. Lampel. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Issue #05, April 1991 (Internet Edition) N E H E M I A H ----------------------------------------------------------------- In this issue: Perspective - Immediate Perspective - Well-ordered Perspective - Active Perspective - Expectant ----------------------------------------------------------------- The title cupbearer to the king doesn't sound terribly important. It conjures up the image of some weak and miserable creature schlepping behind the king, waiting only for that summons to slake his monarch's thirst. While the official cupbearer did, indeed, physically hand the goblet of wine to the king (only after tasting the liquid to ensure it had not been poisoned), in truth, this one who bore the king's cup was a confidant, holding in some cases a position of considerable influence over policy. The king trusted him; he had to, since the cupbearer would be the last to handle any food or drink that passed between his lips. So, though normally of foreign birth, this servant enjoyed great favor--as well as the royal ear.(1) Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the Persian king, Artaxerxes I (465-424 BC). We would probably know little about this Old Testament saint, except that he had a heart for his people and the Lord God of heaven. Because of this, he became Governor of Judah and organized the remnant left there to rebuild the walls of the shattered and burned Jerusalem. The book of Nehemiah is a fascinating chronicle of faith and perseverance. Nehemiah was a man of lasting principles and determination; he stands, primarily, as an example of God-controlled leadership in the face of overwhelming opposition. Where did his tenacity come from? As Nehemiah enjoyed the ear of Artaxerxes, his King, he also enjoyed the ear of Jehovah, his God. Every step of his life was influenced by one, driving question: What does God want me to do? No matter the occasion, no matter where he was or who he was with, Nehemiah would stop everything to pray to his God. If he needed answers; if he needed strength, sustenance; if he needed to confess his and his countrymen's sins he didn't hesitate to kneel in prayer. When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said: "O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father's house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.' They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man."(2) Sometimes prayer can be like getting a haircut: It's a bother and inconvenient, so it's put off until absolutely necessary. Then, while sitting in the chair, the long, bothersome locks begin to fall away. Suddenly you realize that the draping tresses have been uncomfortable and it actually feels better to get them trimmed up. You leave the shop with a fresher attitude, a spring in your step--glad that you went through the process. >From Nehemiah we can learn that prayer is not something to avoid, but to cherish as a precious link to God. This month in Aspects, we'll examine how Nehemiah's prayer life was Immediate Well-ordered Active Expectant ----------------------------------------------------------------- Perspective I M M E D I A T E ------------- >From the first time I read through the book of Nehemiah I have been impressed with the immediacy of his prayer life. Never mind that he is in a crowd, or standing before the King, or preoccupied with the building of Jerusalem's wall--he draws his prayers like a well-practiced gunslinger (pardon the metaphor). Whether presented with a heart-wrenching tragedy, about to ask a favor of his sovereign, or facing down his enemies, Nehemiah first consults with his Master. As a beginning point for this month's Aspects, I recommend that you read the book of Nehemiah. This will give you the complete picture of this most impressive man. ________________________________ And They Read From the Book(3) --------------------------- When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. NEH 1:4 The king said to me, "What is it you want?" Then I prayed to the God of heaven... NEH 2:4 NEH 2:4-5 NEH 4:1-5 NEH 4:7-9 PSA 46:1 Just When I Need Him Just when I need Him Jesus is near, Just when I falter, Just when I fear; Ready to help me, ready to cheer, Just when I need Him most. Just when I need Him He is my all, Answering when upon Him I call; Tenderly watching lest I should fall, Just when I need Him most.(4) "I have many times been driven to my knees by the utter conviction that I had nowhere else to go."(5) ________________________________ Can the immediacy of prayer be embarrassing? One day I was out running errands that included stops at a grocery store and a Bible book store. I began with lunch from Wendy's, consumed in my car while I listened to David Hocking on the radio. As I listened to this wise and Spirit-filled speaker, my heart burst with praise to God for His goodness and consideration of my life. The message on the radio combined with events earlier in the day to carry me up to a loftier plane where, in utter unspeakable joy, my heart burst and my eyes poured out many tears. I wept the 15 miles to the Bible book store. While parking the car I considered: What will be the response, in the store, to my red, puffy eyes? I put on my sunglasses and left them on during my time in the store. Behind them, I continued weeping with joy. As I traveled the freeway to the grocery store, I considered: How will the checkout person respond to a customer with red, puffy eyes? Sinuses? Allergies? Insipidness? I consciously occupied my mind with other things, so that upon arrival at the grocery store, my face would be suitably presentable. What a shameful witness. Later that day I was reminded of Hebrews 11:16, and it kept ringing in my ears like a nagging conscience: Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. Now, I am a despicable sinner, saved only by Grace; God is perfect Holiness--and I'm the one ashamed of Him. Yes, the immediacy of our prayers (of which Praise is one of the highest forms) can sometimes be embarrassing. But I am humbled by the example of Nehemiah, who, standing before his boss--a king who held control over his very life--unashamedly paused to pray to a God who was not ashamed to call him His own. Making it Personal ------------------ When Nehemiah heard the distressing news from Judah, he immediately responded from the heart. When the king posed a question to him in the throne room, he immediately prayed for guidance. Do you think he was embarrassed in front of these people? If you had been Nehemiah, how would you have reacted? Do you often miss the immediacy of the moment because you would rather wait until no one else is around? ----------------------------------------------------------------- Perspective W E L L - O R D E R E D ------------- Though Nehemiah enjoyed a singularly intimate communion with God, he did not abuse this privilege by randomly scattering his thoughts, leaving an attentive Father to sort them out. There is a time for the spontaneous groanings of an aching heart; there is also the time for reverent consideration of Whom it is we are addressing. ________________________________ Nehemiah first defines his God with praise: "Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God.." There are so many facets to the Father; how much better it is to address our prayers to that particular aspect of God that will serve our moment and need. Nehemiah's prayer is for the needs of others: "..on behalf of the sons of Israel.." How do we reestablish our link with God? Pray to Him. How do we retain our connection with those we love? Pray for them. How do we come to love our enemies? Pray for them. He then confesses to the Father, including his sins with the sins of others: "We have acted very corruptly.." How can we possibly see Him through the smog of our unconfessed sins? Nehemiah then brings his petition with confi- dence: "..make Thy servant successful today.." We do not serve a God who keeps us in chains or who browbeats us into whimpering submission; but our God waits patiently for us to come to Him as a loving Father, eager to be a part of our lives. "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."(6) Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.(7) ________________________________ During prayer, the tiniest distractions can become obstacles of immense proportion. Why do the most insignificant things of this world become suddenly so much more important than the things of heaven?! Why is our communion with the Father so easily encumbered by such minutia? Try these techniques: - Don't expect it to be easy; prepare for prayer as you would anything else so important. - Shut out as many external distractions as possible. - Begin by asking the Holy Spirit to focus your thoughts and words. - Use methods that work for you to help draw you away from the world and closer to the Father: Praise tapes, reading/reciting hymns/psalms, remembering previously answered prayers, remembering His blessings, remembering His sacrifice. - Pray aloud; silent prayer is easily distracted and muddled, while praying aloud helps order our thoughts and keep us on track. It's harder for Satan to break into an audible prayer. - When distractions do come--especially details of the day--jot them down quickly to drain them from your attention, then move on. - Have a regular place for prayer; the Father will hear our prayers from any location, but it is often helpful to our concentration and state-of-mind to have a "prayer closet": a private room, lunch hour in your car, the same chair, etc. ________________________________ "Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Spirit, for such things as God has promised." "Prayer should be definite. What a lot of praying there is that prays for everything in general and nothing in particular!" "Prayer is a serious thing. We may be taken at our words." "On the first of May in the olden times,...many inhabitants of London went into the fields to bathe their faces with the early dew upon the grass under the idea that it would render them beautiful. Some writers call the custom superstitious. It may have been so, but this we know, that to bathe one's face every morning in the dew of heaven by prayer and communion, is the sure way to obtain true beauty of life and character"(8) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Perspective A C T I V E ------------- "A scholar at a boarding school near London was commended for repeating her lessons well. A school companion, who was always idly inclined, said to her one day, 'How is it that you always say your lessons perfectly?' She replied, 'I always pray that I may say my lessons well.' 'Do you?' replied the other. 'Then I'll pray, too.' But the next morning she could not repeat one word of her lesson. Very much confounded she ran to her friend. 'I prayed,' said she, 'but I could not repeat a word of my lesson.' 'Perhaps,' rejoined the other, 'you took no pains to learn it.' 'Learn it! Learn it!' answered the first. 'I did not learn it at all. I didn't know I needed to learn it, when I prayed that I might say it.' She loved her idleness, poor girl. And her praying was but a mockery."(9) ________________________________ And They Read From the Book --------------------------- But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat. NEH 4:9 When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his own work. NEH 4:15 And [I] came back to Jerusalem. Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courts of the house of God. I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah's household goods out of the room. I gave orders to purify the rooms, and then I put back into them the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense. I also learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them, and that all the Levites and singers responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields. So I rebuked the officials and asked them, "Why is the house of God neglected?" Then I called them together and stationed them at their posts. NEH 13:7-11 Into the Word ------------- What other Biblical characters (or modern saints) have displayed an "active" prayer life? ________________________________ Who Is On the Lord's Side? Jesus, Thou hast bought us, not with gold or gem, But with Thine own lifeblood, for Thy diadem. With Thy blessing filling each who comes to Thee, Thou hast made us willing, Thou hast made us free. By Thy grand redemption, by Thy grace divine, We are on the Lord's side, Savior, we are Thine. Fierce may be the conflict, strong may be the foe, But the King's own army none can overthrow. Round His standard ranging; vict'ry is secure; For His truth unchanging makes the triumph sure. Joyfully enlisting by Thy grace divine, We are on the Lord's side, Savior, We are Thine.(10) ________________________________ A "personalization" of Hebrews 12:1-3(11) ------------------------------------- All the patriarchs--and all the saints known to me, but who have preceded me to glory--are surrounding me, watching expectantly, encouraging my efforts and witnessing the results. The race has been set. My personal marathon route has been established by God. Meanwhile, there are two things I need to do in preparation for the race: First, set aside every encumbrance--every unnecessary burden. What might be weighing me down? What dead weight am I carrying around? Second, set aside every sin that gets tangled in my feet. I must free-up my conscience; my intentions must be pure. I will be better prepared and suited to endure the long haul of the race if I discard these unnecessary encumbrances before starting. Then, once I enter the race (which I already have), I have only one, primary goal. I am not to watch the sidelines, the bystanders; I am not to be analyzing the suitability of the roadway or the obstacles placed in my path; I am not to concern myself with the unseen path round the bend or the conclusion of the race. My one goal is to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus! Nothing else matters for me; Jesus will see to all the details. Why? He designed the course and has run every inch of it before me. He has cleared the way and has already endured more than I could even imagine. Those things I must endure as I run the race are nothing, trivialities, in comparison. If I take the time to consider what He endured for me, how can I so easily give up the race set before me? ----------------------------------------------------------------- Perspective E X P E C T A N T ------------- And They Read From the Book --------------------------- "And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king's forest, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?" And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests. NEH 2:8 I answered them by saying, "The God of heaven will give us suc- cess. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it." NEH 2:20 Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!" NEH 4:19-20 NEH 1:11 NEH 5:19 NEH 6:14 NEH 13:14,29,31 ________________________________ Surely Goodness and Mercy When I walk thru the dark lonesome valley, My Savior will walk with me there; And safely His great hand will lead me To the mansions He's gone to prepare. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me All the days, all the days of my life; Surely goodness and mercy will follow me All the days, all the days of my life; And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever, And I shall feast at the table spread for me; Surely goodness and mercy will follow me All the days, all the days of my life; All the days, all the days of my life. Making it Personal ------------------ O for the confidence of Nehemiah. "The God of heaven will give us success!" Why is that so hard to remember? Do you find yourself mouthing the platitudes of prayer and not really believing what you are saying? Begin now to examine the words of your prayers. Are you being truthful with God?(12) Dear Father...Dear Spirit...Dear Jesus To Whom Should I Pray? -------------------------------------- "The voice calling in to the switchboard was obviously very uneasy: "I have an important matter that I would like to discuss with someone, but I, uh, am not sure who I should talk to." As Christians we often have the same problem with prayer. To whom should we pray? Should we address our prayers just to the Father, or is it all right to pray to the Son or the Holy Spirit as well? "This question is best answered by looking at the unique roles that the three members of the Trinity play when it comes to prayer. God the Father occupies the seat of sovereignty and acts on behalf of His spiritual children. The Father desires that we approach Him with the warm, tender cry of a child--"Abba, Father." Jesus pointed His disciples to the Father when they spoke in prayer (Matthew 6:6,9; John 16:23), and always addressed the Father in His own prayers. "The Son's role in prayer is the Mediator, the High Priest and the Revealer of God. By His death for us, Jesus Christ opened the way to the Father and gave His name to carry our concerns to the Father in prayer (John 14:13-14;16:24-26). He became our eternal High Priest, interceding for us with the Father because He understands our concerns, giving us confidence to draw near to God (Hebrews 4:14-16). There are a few prayers in the Bible that are addressed to the Son (Acts 7:59; 1 Corin- thians 1:2), although the normal practice of the apostles and the saints is to address the Father. "The Holy Spirit, as the third member of the Trinity, acts as the Enabler and the Interceder in prayer. The Holy Spirit makes the believer aware of his status as a child of God (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6). He motivates and empowers us as we "pray in the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:18). The Spirit also comes alongside the believer in prayer and helps "carry the load" when he does not know what to ask or how to pray (Romans 8:26-27). "There is no instance in the New Testament where a prayer is addressed to the Spirit, although there is also no passage that directly prohibits praying to the Spirit. However, the normal pattern of prayer for the New Testament believer, based on the unique roles of each member of the Trinity, is that prayer is to be addressed to the Father (the Source) in the name of Jesus Christ (the Mediator) with the enablement of the Holy Spirit (the Enabler)."(13) ======================================================================== NOTES, COPYRIGHT & SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION Notes ----- 1. New Bible Dictionary, 2nd Edition, (Tyndale 1984), p.255. 2. Nehemiah 1:4-11 3. Nehemiah 8:8 4. William C. Poole (1907), Hymn #412 in Hymns for the Living Church (Hope Publishing Company, 1974) 5. Abraham Lincoln, cited in More Gathered Gold (Evangelical Press, 1988), p.232. 6. Hebrews 4:16 7. Matthew 6:9-13 8. John Bunyan, cited in More Gathered Gold (Evangelical Press, 1988), p.228; C.H. Spurgeon, Ibid., p. 228; Dwight L. Moody, Ibid., p. 226; C.H. Spurgeon, The Quotable Spurgeon, (Shaw, 1990), p.177. 9. C.H. Spurgeon, The Quotable Spurgeon (Shaw, 1990), p. 171. 10. Frances Ridley Havergal, Hymn #484 in The Hymnal for Worship & Celebration, WORD Music (1986). 11. Hebrews 12:1-3 speaks of our daily walk in the Kingdom of God. It puts it in terms of a race or marathon, similar to ancient Greek runners. It speaks of discarding anything that might be an encumbrance to our successful completion of the race, and then getting out onto the track to see to the business at hand. How similar to Nehemiah this is! He wasn't afraid to run the race, to get out onto the cinder track of life; he tackled each new quest with vigor. But first, in prayer before his Lord, he discarded any earthly encumberances he might have. He handed everything over to God and said, "Now I'm ready for my race. Use me." 12. As you have unlocked the depths of God's truth this month by meditating on Aspects "key" thoughts, have you discovered some new insights or questions? Share these with other readers of Aspects by sending them to the address shown below. 13. Kent R. Wilson in Discipleship Journal (Issue 62, March/April 1991, Volume 11/Number 2, Page 20), Copyright 1991 The Navigators (NavPress), Used by Permission. Copyright Information --------------------- All original material in Aspects is Copyright (C) 1995 David S. Lampel. This data file is the sole property of David S. Lampel. It may not be altered or edited in any way. It may be reproduced only in its entirety for circulation as "freeware," without charge. 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