Prior to October we were busy with a theme entitled "Prayer like breathing" reflecting on the idea that prayer is a conversation. We've been working through Nehemiah's beautiful prayer in ch. 1...
Nehemiah#7: Reminding
[Nehemiah's whole prayer is below - our key verse is in bold...]Here is another prayer precedent that we see throughout the Old Testament: Nehemiah reminds God of the fact that these are His people whom He has gone to great lengths to help in the past. By reminding God of Israel's covenant identity, Nehemiah is actually drawing on the history of Israel and God's deliverance of them in the past to give him confidence in prayer.
But again there is more: Through the examples of prayer we find throughout Scripture it is clear that God encourages us to come to Him and 'state our case' before Him. We can approach God with confidence, we can draw on the promises of Scripture, we can remind Him of His faithfulness in the past, and we can even 'threaten' (said with great care) Him with the consequences of not answering our prayer. (In Numbers 14 Moses tells God, "If you wipe out your people and the Egyptians hear about it and will say 'Although He brought them out of Egypt, He couldn't get them to the Promised Land so He wiped them out!'")
When I wanted to propose to Brenda, I went to speak to her folks. I had prepared a long speech, telling them of my love for their daughter, outlining the finances, and sketching the future direction we would take. My preparation and enthusiasm was part of my commitment. What I didn't see clearly was that Bren's folks were actually happy to have me as a son-in-law and that I really only needed to say "Can I marry your daughter?" But Brenda's Dad let me make my whole speech, with me thinking that I had to convince them of what they wanted for their daughter and me anyway.
Should I then simply have said "Can I marry your daughter?" No. The in-laws and I both benefited from the process: I knew clearly how badly I wanted this, and Brenda's folks had some idea of my being ready and responsible to receive the gift they wanted to give me.
As far as prayer is concerned, the dialogue (the process of talking to and even wrestling with God) is as important as the answer.
| "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, 6 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. 7 We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. 8 "Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, 9 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.' 10 "They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. 11 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." (Nehemiah1:10) |
