August – September 2026: The Book of Nehemiah
On Tuesday 18th August we begin a brand new series of Daily Inspirations – in the Book of Nehemiah. It’s a riveting tale of someone being called by God to do something amazing – and then doing it! Nehemiah is a wonderful character, full of faith, wisdom and practical common sense. Let’s journey with him over the next three weeks or so, and be inspired by his example.
Note: to allow for the Bank Holiday, Tuesday’s Inspiration has been uploaded in advance – scroll down for Monday’s, and earlier posts…
Day 11, Tuesday 1st September – Nehemiah 6:10-14 ‘Facing opposition (4): fear’
What is the opposite of faith? Most of us would instinctively say ‘doubt’ – but that’s not the biblical answer. In the bible, the opposite of faith is fear. It’s why Jesus prefaces his post-resurrection encounters repeatedly with the words, ‘Do not be afraid.’ It’s why St John tells us that there is no fear in love. Yes, there are healthy fears, which we learn as we grow up for our own protection; but generally, fear is a constricting factor in our adult lives. It is especially damaging to our souls, as well as our wills: a primary motivation of fear rarely leads to good decisions being made.
Bullies know this all too well. Make a person afraid and they will act against their own interests; or rather, they will act in their (and your) perceived short-term interest at the expense of their long-term one. In today’s passage, we see Nehemiah’s opponents make one last throw of the dice. Thus far they have failed with every strategy to stop the work; their final option is to make Nehemiah afraid for his own personal safety. Although it might sound sensible for Nehemiah to hide for a few days or even hours to protect himself, the location is significant: the sanctuary of the temple was a sacred space, and to use it for his own protection would have driven a wedge between himself and the priests. Nehemiah would have lost not only credibility but also moral authority.
Ironically, the threat would have carried more weight if the proposed ‘safe house’ had been anywhere else but the temple; but Shemaiah overplayed his hand, egged on no doubt by Nehemiah’s chief adversaries Tobiah and Sanballat. Nehemiah rightly smelled a rat and called out the skullduggery. He chose faith over fear, and the work continued – indeed as we’ll see tomorrow, it was about to be completed!
Few of us face the kind of threats Nehemiah did; but we all face smaller ones. We all have regular moments which ultimately demand a decision: to choose the path of faith or fear. Such choices become habit-forming. Choosing faith makes it easier to choose faith the next time; and vice versa.
‘Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin,’ St Paul observed. If this sounds overly harsh, the point Paul is making is that our motives matter. Otherwise neutral choices get ‘infected’ if fear or some other negative emotion is our driver. Conversely, to act in good faith often commands a blessing even if we sometimes make what we later consider to be the ‘wrong’ choice. God is gracious and knows our hearts.
Today, may the Lord grant us all grace to choose faith over fear in our decisions and actions, be they big or small; and may choosing faith become our life-giving habit, as we trust in Him. Amen.
Day 10, Monday 31st August – Nehemiah 6:1-9 ‘Facing opposition (3): lies and gossip’
Followers of Jesus have often been treated as threats to the ‘established order.’ In many ways this is strange: a group committed to living peaceful, holy, servant-hearted lives ought to be the very last people to be considered subversive. On the other hand, we worship a different Lord, one to whom all the Powers That Be will one day give an account; and that makes flawed human authorities nervous. Corrupt power hates having to share it, or recognise its limitations.
Such a state of affairs goes all the way back to Jesus himself; the only perfect human who ever lived was frequently subjected to false allegations, not least at his final arrest and trial. The main reason Christians were martyred in the time of the Roman Empire was because they refused to worship Caesar as a god. Interestingly they were also accused of incest, since spouses referred to each other as ‘brother’ and ‘sister’ – a term which reflected their faith not their genes!
This latter piece of scandalous gossip connects much more directly with what Nehemiah faces in today’s passage. We’ve seen the various ways that his opponents have tried to undermine him – thus far primarily through insult or intimidation. Now, they try a different tack: (v6) ‘It is reported among the nations – and Geshem says it is true – that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt.’ Lies, basically, spread via gossip (if Geshem says it is true…). It is a sobering but healthy reminder that even our best intentions can be misinterpreted – sometimes unwittingly, here quite deliberately. This is a ploy to stop the rebuilding work, effectively continuing the policy of intimidation by other means.
I have seen this myself. I spent many years attending a church which was part of the HTB network in London. These churches are thriving, and a lot of people hate them for it. More than one national newspaper has written articles over the years describing it as a cult. As someone who attended one of these churches during the period it was being described as such, I can safely say that I couldn’t imagine anything that was less like a cult; anyone could come and go as they please, and leadership was widely dispersed and actively encouraged. Its ‘problem’ was that people who joined one of these churches really loved their Christian community, thrived in their faith and naturally wanted to share it as a result. Sadly, HTB was perceived as a threat largely because its evident fruit was a pointed reminder of the decline of much of the rest of the church.
Jesus called the devil the ‘father of lies,’ and much of the devil’s best work is done simply through encouraging people to spread them. What should our response be? Certainly not to ‘fight fire with fire’, or even to indulge in lengthy self-justifications; Nehemiah’s response is our model. He simply tells the truth and gets on with his work: (v8,v9) ‘”Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.’ …I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.”’
St Paul tells us that the only offensive weapon we have in the armour of God is ‘the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.’ Let God’s word in Nehemiah be our ‘sword’ today, powerful truth demolishing the lies which can undermine our faith. And may the Lord strengthen our hands for whatever kingdom work He has for us, this day and this week. Amen.
Saturday 29th August – Psalm 13 ‘The Overcomer’
Every year our city of Milton Keynes hosts a marathon. One of my good friends was running in it this year, his first marathon at the age of 56. Thankfully he made it, and he popped in afterwards for a cup of tea – I had offered a celebratory protein shake, but he went for tea (good decision).
He admitted it had been really hard. He’d never run further than a half-marathon, and was really feeling it after 15 miles. He was also raising funds for a church repair project, which only added to the pressure – thinking of all that sponsorship money which might be lost if he quit. But he got there, and whilst he expects to be hobbling for the rest of the week – and will never run another one! – he can enjoy the satisfaction of having battled with his body, and overcome.
‘How long?’ So today’s Psalm begins – a cry every marathon runner knows well! It’s also been a recurring theme already in the psalms, appearing in Psalms 4, 6 and now for a third time in Psalm 13. It’s a cry of the heart, and one that anyone who prays for anything that really matters knows well.
David testifies to all the emotions that I’m sure many of us have experienced, too when troubles are ongoing: mental conflict (‘wrestling with my thoughts’ vs), sorrow (v2), a feeling of failure (v2), and even wondering if life is really worth it after all (v3).
What we don’t find out in this Psalm is whether David gets the answer to his prayer. But he does get something else, perhaps even more precious: he is reminded of the Lord’s unfailing love, and rejoices in his salvation (v5). There is more at play than his current circumstances. Despite everything, David counts his blessings, because he knows that the Lord has been good to him (v6).
It’s not a magic cure, but this kind of attitude does set everything in perspective. Life is hard, and although specific answers to particular challenges are always welcome, what we really need is the assurance of something deeper: of the abiding presence of God, of his consistent goodness, of the fact that we are loved and saved, despite our flaws, our failings and our foibles.
This is what enables David to overcome, day by day. It is the recipe for us, too. So, today, keep offering your heartfelt prayers to God, don’t be afraid to cry ‘How long, Lord?’ – but also take a few moments to anchor yourself in the eternal consistency of God’s character: his unfailing love, goodness and salvation. Those who do always overcome.
Friday 28th August – Psalm 15 ‘The Blameless’
We take a brief break from Nehemiah to enjoy a couple of Psalms (today and tomorrow) which connect with some of the themes of Nehemiah:
As a family we used to love the game Jenga. You may be familiar with it: a stack of wooden blocks is created and, little by little, blocks are removed from the stack and placed on the top. The stack gets higher and higher, and also more and more fragile. Eventually the slightest tremor, the tiniest shake of the hand causes the stack to fall, and that person is the loser.
Sometimes life can feel like a game of Jenga. What feels like the solid stack of our existence slowly gets undermined. Things go wrong unexpectedly, relationships struggle, we face illness, uncertainty or some kind of hardship – each challenge is like a block that gets removed, and our ‘stack’ gets more and more fragile. Soon we fear that the slightest shake will cause it all to collapse.
In times like this, how do we stand firm? How can we ensure that we are not ‘shaken’? Today’s psalm addresses this very question. It proceeds from the premise that the best place on which to base the ‘stack’ of our lives is God’s holy hill (v1) – something strong, immovable… so the question then becomes: ‘Lord… who may dwell on your holy hill?’ (v1)
The answer lies in the way we live – and let’s note that this is not a recipe for activism or a self-help manual. This is more about the direction of our lives, the way we set our priorities. The person who can stand firm, who will not be shaken, will be righteous with both their words and their actions. So, they speak the truth (v2), do not slander or cast a slur on others (v3); they also do no wrong to their neighbour (v3), lend generously without advantage to themselves (v5) and refuse bribes (v5).
The phrase that I found most striking when preparing today’s inspiration was this: (v4) ‘who keeps an oath even when it hurts’. This is where words and deeds come together – can we fulfil with our actions what we’ve promised with our lips, even when it’s costly? I found myself thinking about the little promises we all make on a daily or weekly basis. Am I someone who can be trusted to do what I promise?
It’s a challenge; but also an opportunity, because it carries a great reward – this is the punchline of the psalm: ‘whoever does these things will never be shaken.’ If you’re anything like me, I want the kind of life that can weather the storms, that can cope with blocks being removed from my stack and not be shaken. Here’s the key: if we live with integrity, we find the Lord’s blessing. We get to place our stack on the immovable mountain of the Lord.
May the Lord grant us all grace to live like that today – and, whatever we face at present, to trust that, held fast in the Lord’s hands, we will not be shaken.
Day 9, Thursday 27th August – Nehemiah 5:14-19 ‘Practising what we preach’
‘I can’t change the world; but I can change the world in me.’ This is a line from an early U2 song, and it’s always stayed with me. As we concluded yesterday, what Nehemiah tackled 2,500 years ago is still just as prevalent today, only on a much bigger scale. The possibility of change feels so distant – what can any of us possibly do to see the sort of renewal Nehemiah was aiming at?
This is where I take heart from that line in the song: I can’t change the world, but I can change the world in me. The one thing I can do, regardless of world events, is make good choices about how I live. Revolutions happen one person at a time. The kingdom of God grows one person at a time. If enough of us practise humility, generosity and integrity then the world starts to change.
Nehemiah knew this. He knew that he had to practise what he preached, in order to see real change. But I get the feeling that he would have done it anyway, regardless of whether other people noticed; for him, integrity was ultimately a matter between him and his Lord: (v15) ‘Out of reverence for God I did not act like that.’
For Nehemiah, this meant refusing the perks of power: he didn’t eat the governor’s food for the whole time he was there, which turned out to be twelve years (I wonder if King Artaxerxes knew it would be that long when he agreed?!). Interestingly, despite this commitment being lived out over a such a long period, the food was still prepared for him every day (v18). Instead, it was used to feed a large number of others (v17), which included those who were not officials i.e. those who really needed food. Nehemiah turned his humility into generosity, something he was glad to do ‘because the demands were heavy on the people’ (v18).
The leadership lesson here is that true leadership requires humility, integrity and self-sacrifice – something we ultimately see confirmed and modelled in Jesus, 450 years after Nehemiah. Again, let’s pray for more leaders in public life committed to these ideals. However, there’s a general principle here. Change begins with us. Nehemiah had huge challenges to deal with; he could have seen the food allowance as a perk, a reward for all the stress. Instead, he chose humility and generosity, and his personal integrity blessed dozens of people, before he even went to work.
Let’s pray today for the grace to emulate Nehemiah; to change the world in us, and trust the Lord for the rest. And may we echo Nehemiah’s short final prayer, with faith and gratitude (v19) ‘Remember me with favour, my God.’
Day 8, Wednesday 26th August – Nehemiah 5:1-13 ‘No peace without justice’
The title for today’s reflection comes from is a famous slogan popularised by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa in the 1990s. The point is that, unless fundamental issues of justice are addressed within a society, even great changes which appear to improve peace are superficial. It’s no use giving people the vote if they can’t feed themselves, or find employment. Or, in the case of Jerusalem in the fifth century BC, there’s not much point rebuilding the city walls if most of the inhabitants are still being exploited by a small minority of people with power and wealth.
It appears from the text that many of the city’s (and region’s) Jewish residents had been sold into slavery since the conquest and exile more than a hundred years previously. Part of Nehemiah’s more comprehensive plan for the renewal of his homeland was to buy back their freedom (v8). This would be vital if effective self-government was to be restored and the economy revitalised.
Yet, at the same time he was doing this, Jewish nobles were still exploiting their fellow countrymen, charging excessive interest so that loans could never be paid back; taking their land and property and forcing them to pay inflated prices just to live there – in other words, keeping them effectively as bonded labourers. In extreme cases, they were still selling those who could not keep up the repayments as slaves to other powerful non-Jews (v8).
Such practices were explicitly forbidden by Jewish Law, the law God gave to them via Moses 800 years earlier. However, we only have to read the Old Testament prophets to know that greed and exploitation were common among the people, and indeed formed much of the reason why Israel was consistently warned by the prophets about the coming judgement if they continued to tolerate or even encourage such inequality and injustice. Nehemiah knew that a new wall was a sticking plaster, unless the people started living as God had always planned for them to live – in willing obedience to His commands.
So, when the poor of the area come to him in desperation, he tackles it head-on. Note first, though, that, despite being ‘very angry’, he takes time to reflect and plan his response (vv6-7, a wise practice for us to observe in passing). Then he challenges the nobles and officials, using two main arguments: first and foremost, it is against God’s law (v9). Second, he himself is practising integrity, refusing to charge interest on the loans he gives (v10) – which is also part of the Law.
The exploiters had no answer to that; they couldn’t hide behind the excuse which is usually given to justify greed and immorality: ‘everyone else does it, so why shouldn’t we?’ Nehemiah’s integrity shamed them into change, something which Nehemiah wisely corroborated with an oath taken in a public assembly (vv12-13).
Reading today’s story, we could be reading about our own age; sadly, the greed and self-interest of a small powerful elite continue to drive world affairs. Oh, that more of us had Nehemiah’s courage and integrity to effect change! It may feel hopeless at present; but let’s be encouraged by the fact that God sees, and knows, and will one day put things right; and in the meantime, let’s pray that God would raise up Nehemiahs for our own day, and that the spirit of Nehemiah would renew our own public life and society.
Day 7, Tuesday 25th August – Nehemiah 4:7-23 ‘Facing opposition (2): Actions’
It is a sad fact of human nature that, in the end, the will of ‘the flesh’ tends to resort to brute force to achieve its ends. ‘Might is right’ has caused untold suffering over the centuries, but nothing much changes under the sun. Our ‘civilised’ world today has more wars currently than for eighty years, and no doubt as many as there were 2,500 years ago, in the time of Nehemiah. Our sinful nature doesn’t really change – unless God intervenes, which of course is the heart of our good news.
It is perhaps almost inevitable, therefore, that the initial success of the rebuilding project, as described yesterday, leads to the fourth and most severe level of opposition – actual physical threat: (v8) ‘They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem.’ This was particularly alarming given two specific practical challenges: first, weariness – (v10) ‘the strength of the labourers is giving out’; and second, over-stretched capacity – (v19) ‘the work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated.’
Again, Nehemiah’s response is both prayerful and practical: (v9) ‘But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.’ In fact, this courageous and common-sense approach is fine-tuned with two further tweaks: everything is organised into shift patterns, so that some work while others guard (vv16-18), round the clock if need be (v22); and a watch is posted with an early warning system (a loud trumpet!), so that if one place is attacked, the guard can move quickly along to defend it (vv18-20).
As we see day in, day out, Nehemiah’s approach is a wonderful blend of faith and planning: ‘Pray as if everything depended on God; act as if everything depended on you,’ is a maxim which we can see brilliantly illustrated in Nehemiah’s case… except that Nehemiah never loses sight of who ultimately delivers success: when he gives a much-needed pep talk to the tiring workers, he points their gaze upwards as well as outwards: (v14) ‘Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome.’ Similarly, he reminds those who might have to fend off attacks: (v20) ‘Our God will fight for us!’
Nehemiah chapter 4 is a model of how to stay both faithful and fruitful under intense pressure. You may be in such a season; if so, be inspired by Nehemiah’s wisdom and witness. If not, then take a moment today to pray for Christian leaders everywhere. Their task of partnering with God in building His Kingdom may be a spiritual rather than a physical one, but it requires much the same mindset and many of the same skills and gifts. May we all have grace to ‘remember the Lord, who is great and awesome,’ and may this inspire our work, however great or small, today.
Day 6, Monday 24th August – Nehemiah 4:1-6 ‘Facing opposition (1): Words’
In 1787 the young MP William Wilberforce first proposed the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade in the UK parliament. Over the next twenty years he would submit this same bill fourteen times. On each of the first thirteen times the bill was rejected and Wilberforce was subjected to vitriolic opposition, both to his character and his cause. A famous example of this opposition came in April 1791, when the (ornately-named) Colonel Banastre Tarleton described the horrendous conditions of slave ships as ‘hideous phantoms of imaginary woe’ and ‘descriptive flights of a towering imagination.’ Eventually, in 1807, the bill passed, and his biographer notes the extraordinary atmosphere in the House of Commons, as ‘quite out of order, three hurrahs echoed and echoed while he sat, head bowed, tears streaming down his face.’
Most great tasks for the kingdom of God will face opposition. It is notable how this opposition develops to Nehemiah’s remarkable work: from initial anger (2:10) to accusations of disloyalty (2:19) and now to outright ridicule: (v2) ‘What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble – burned as they are?’
We’ll see tomorrow how the final stage of this growing opposition was actual physical threat; today, though, we’ll focus on the power of words, and particularly scorn, as a tool of discouragement. Just as with Wilberforce, notice how the verbal opposition attacked both their character (‘feeble’) and their cause (‘heaps of rubble’).
These voices were from actual opponents; however, it’s worth observing that for many of us, such voices come from within. We question whether we are up to the task; whether we have the resources to manage it; whether we will fail and bring shame upon ourselves and perhaps more importantly, upon God.
Nehemiah’s approach was twofold: first he prayed: (v4) ‘Hear us, our God for we are despised.’ In the light of the New Testament, we may not be able quite to echo the sentiments of this particular prayer, but the key point is that Nehemiah asked God to intervene on their behalf. We are not to be agents of judgement; we leave that to God, and trust both our protection and prevailing to Him.
Second, to prevent the people getting discouraged, he set an achievable target, something to aim for as a first stage: ‘So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height.’ The result was encouraging: ‘the people worked with all their heart.’
When we face voices of opposition, either within or without, it’s easy to be discouraged. Today, let’s take heart from Nehemiah’s example, asking God to uphold us, and setting ourselves a manageable target. Great buildings are built, one brick at a time.
Day 5, Saturday 22nd August – Nehemiah 3:1-32 ‘Everybody matters’
OK, I admit it – this was probably quite a turgid read today! A long list of who built what along the length of the wall. There are some fascinating titbits along the way, though: the fact that some of the upper classes felt that the work was beneath them (v5); on the other hand, Shallum’s daughters put the nobles to shame, by rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck in (v12). Even the priests joined in the collective endeavour (v28).
What’s the basic point here? Everybody matters. Everybody has a part to play. This wall was not built by experts, but by a significant chunk of the whole population giving their time and energy, each playing their small part; together, hundreds or even thousands of ‘small parts’ achieved a great task.
In church, we encourage people to find their true gifting, and that’s absolutely right. However, there’s also a flip side to that coin: God values everything we offer, and sometimes a willing offering of some time, enthusiasm and basic hard graft is exactly what’s needed. No doubt there were leaders and experts in charge; many of them are listed at the start of each paragraph (and let’s take a moment to note again how amazing Nehemiah’s leadership skills were, that in such a short space of time he could identify and galvanise such a large group of people). However, all these figureheads needed people to (literally) do the heavy lifting.
Someone once observed to me that 50% of discipleship is just turning up; and the older I get and the longer I stay in Christian leadership, the more I think that person was absolutely right. This side of heaven, we’ll never know the names of Shallum’s daughters who helped to repair the Tower of the Ovens; but, like all the others who joined in this momentous task, they gave what they could, and the Lord blessed it.
Mother Teresa observed: ‘We cannot do great things; we can only do small things with great love.’ What small thing can you do today? Where could you give a bit of time and enthusiasm this week – or simply ‘show up’ as an encouragement to somebody?
Everybody matters to God; everybody matters in the work of God’s kingdom. May God bless the work of your hands today, this week and always.
Day 4, Friday 21st August – Nehemiah 2:11-20 ‘Weighing the task’
‘Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, “This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.”’
Nearly five centuries after Nehemiah, the Greatest Teacher of them all shared this wisdom with those who were listening. His message: weigh the cost; follow through with your intentions; finish what you started. He was talking about the decision to follow Him; but in practical terms, it could just as easily apply to any great task to which the Lord calls us.
As we have seen, Nehemiah had such a task, a calling. He had the king’s favour and the opportunity to tackle it. However, the fact that his initial prayer had been answered, and the door opened, was no excuse for him to just ‘wing it’; in today’s passage we see how Nehemiah prepared thoroughly for the great task set before him.
First, he settled in – note that it was three days (v11) before he began his survey, and at this stage he told no-one about it. Second, he surveyed the scene. He went out and inspected every metre of the walls (vv13-15). He wanted to know exactly what was required, before the third stage, which was… he shared his vision: (v17) ‘Then I said to [the officials]: “You see the trouble we are in… Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.”’ Note that Nehemiah wisely focuses more on the outcome of success (the vision i.e. honour and a renewed reputation for God’s people) than the task itself.
This achieved its desired effect, and the people were ready to get on with ‘this good work’ (v18). But there is a fourth stage, which will prove increasingly important as the narrative develops: Nehemiah stayed resolute. Opposition from other locals who stood to lose by the renewal of Jerusalem starts to get louder and more insistent (v19); however, Nehemiah is ready to respond. He knows his history, as well as what is required for this task: (v20) ‘You have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.’
As time progresses, we’ll see how the opposition becomes fiercer and more intimidating; more on that in a few days’ time. But today, let’s be inspired by Nehemiah’s purposeful planning and preparation. God equips those He calls; but he also expects us to play our part – to prepare ourselves, weighing the cost, following through with our intentions and forming a determination to finish what we started. Whatever the Lord is doing in you and with you at present, resolve again to co-operate fully and faithfully; and trust that as you pray, plan and prepare, He will open the doors, equipping you every step of the way.
Day 3, Thursday 20th August – Nehemiah 2:1-10 ‘Royal favour’
Being miserable at work is a risky business. Nowadays, those risks are probably more to do with our wellbeing and likelihood of promotion (the PIE method attributes 30% of your promotion prospects down to projecting a positive persona); in the court of King Artaxerxes is would have been downright dangerous. Bear in mind that Artaxerxes was one of the most powerful rulers who ever lived, presiding over a large empire for more than forty years (465BC-424BC); a man who murdered his brother to make sure he seized the throne after his father’s untimely death; a man whose drinking bowl, one of which still survives – housed in the British Museum – and therefore might have been held by Nehemiah (how cool is that?) bears this inscription: ‘Artaxerxes, the great king, king of kings, king of countries, son of Xerxes the king, of Xerxes [who was] son of Darius the king, the Achaemenian, in whose house this drinking cup/saucer was made.’
To be in the presence of this ‘great king, king of kings’, it was not advisable to look miserable. And yet, Nehemiah had to get his boss’s attention. It’s risky, but extremely clever: if the man who is responsible for your safety is looking sad (v1), then you need to know why, right?
We can only speculate whether this was a plan formed over a long period – this is four months since Hanani’s visit – or whether Nehemiah was particularly moved on this day; either way, the crucial moment comes… and is successful. The King is sympathetic, and, like the strong, decisive ruler he is, gets straight to the point: (v4) ‘What is it you want?… (v6) How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?’ What an amazing opening! Nehemiah is blessed with royal favour: he gets permission to go (v6), letters of safe conduct (v7), materials he can use to help with the project (v8) and soldiers for security (v9). (He also has enemies, now, too (v10) – but we’ll come back to that.)
There is, however, another king involved here. Nehemiah has not just royal favour, but Royal favour: (vv4-5) ‘The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king…’ Beneath the visible circumstances, another Hand is guiding all things. The king of kings is unwittingly doing the business of the King of kings.
It is sometimes hard to see the hand of the Lord at work; but we believe in a God ‘who works all things for good to those who love Him.’ Nehemiah knew the Lord’s favour, and the door opened for the great work to which God had called him. Today let’s pray for all of us feeling a similar call, to any kind of kingdom work: for favour, and open doors. If that’s you, take heart! If that’s not you currently, then join your prayers with those who are, in faith that the Lord will be glorified. All the Lord’s work ultimately needs Royal favour.
Day 2, Wednesday 19th August – Nehemiah 1:1-11 (ii) ‘A prayer for the ages’
The famous 19th-century evangelist Dwight L Moody was once asked: ‘if you knew that the Lord was coming back in 25 years, how would you spend it?’ Moody replied: ‘I’d spend the first 20 years of that time in prayer.’
When I first read that a few years ago, I found it profoundly challenging. I am inclined to be an activist. I like to get lots of things done in a day, and find a certain satisfaction in ‘being busy’. But – as my old mentor used to asked me – am I busy, or fruitful? And what would turn the former into the latter?
There are a number of answers to that question – but you’ll have guessed what one of them is!
As we take a second look at the first chapter of Nehemiah, we need to admit that Nehemiah is rightly known as a person of action. He wouldn’t be the king’s cupbearer if he wasn’t. The rest of the book likewise makes it abundantly clear that he is someone who gets things done – usually quickly and displaying great organisational skills. Nehemiah is often used as a model for leadership – and rightly so.
But, before he is a person of action, Nehemiah is a person of prayer. His first response to the news about his homeland is striking: (v4) ‘For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.’ He doesn’t just do something, anything – he seeks the Lord. He waits on God, he prays. He needs to know what the Lord’s will is – and then he acts.
Nehemiah’s prayer is one of the great prayers of the bible – a model prayer, you could say. If you like to use the acronym P-R-A-Y to help you pray, then this prayer is a perfect biblical example:
P – Praise: Nehemiah begins (v5), ‘Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God…’ Nehemiah thanks God for his faithfulness, before he does anything else.
R – Repentance: (vv6-7) ‘I confess the sins… we have acted very wickedly…’
A – Ask: (vv8-9) ‘Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses… if you return to me… I will… bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’
And finally, having done all that, we get to the practical prayer for himself:
Y – ‘Yourself’ (v11) ‘Give your servant success today by granting him favour in the presence of this man.’
It’s a wonderful prayer, and we don’t have to wait long to see what happens – the very next chapter, which we’ll look at tomorrow. But as we reflect today, may Nehemiah’s example inspire us in our prayers. It’s right to ask God for things, Jesus encourages us to do exactly that; but the central focus of our prayer is always the Lord himself. Nehemiah retains a profound awareness of the greatness of God, and this makes him both fervent and bold in prayer. May we, too, pray as he did – for whatever is on our hearts today.
Day 1, Tuesday 18th August – Nehemiah 1:1-11 ‘Moved to act’
In the winter of 2010, I was living in Bristol and was asked to lead a group from church to organise the weekly Saturday lunchtime soup run for the city’s homeless. I was co-leader of a 20s group at the time, and our group duly turned up one cold day in December at the gathering point near the main shopping centre. It was a couple of hours which changed my life. It’s hard to put into words now, but I had a profound sense that each face I looked into as I served out the soup was the face of Jesus. It felt like holy ground.
After it had finished, I called my wife to say I was on my way home. ‘How was it?’ she asked. I couldn’t reply – I just wept on the phone. Six weeks later, I was leading a team to help at the Wild Goose Café, Bristol’s brilliant café which serves the homeless, the first evening of a regular commitment with which I would be involved for the rest of my time in Bristol.
Why did that soup run touch me so deeply? I can’t really say; I had helped at a homeless shelter in the past, so it was something close to my heart – but that had been more than ten years ago, so truthfully it had not been a ministry priority for a long time. And then I agreed to help with one event…. and everything changed. I knew that in that season I had to act, I had to respond.
Maybe you’ve had a similar experience. It could be about anything – but there was a moment when something which had lain dormant in your heart suddenly awakes. It is this kind of experience which inspires the wonderful little book of Nehemiah which we begin today.
The book dates to the period when Israel has been conquered by Babylon and many Israelites are living in exile. By the time we get to Nehemiah, it is the mid-fifth century BC, in other words well over a hundred years since the destruction of Jerusalem. Several generations of exiles have lived in Babylon, 900 miles from their homeland. However, things are stirring. Fourteen years previously (458BC) Ezra the priest had led a return of the Levites and restored the religious life of the Jews (as they were now known – from the name Judah, meaning ‘praise’). Word now reaches Nehemiah via one of his brothers that, although the priests are presumably still performing their tasks faithfully, the fabric of the city is in a sorry state: (v3) ‘The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.’
It is unlikely that Nehemiah had ever visited Jerusalem. He was probably born in Susa, where he now served with an important job at the royal court: the king’s cupbearer had to taste everything that the king was going to drink before the king did, so that if it was poisoned, then the cupbearer died, and not the king. In other words, he had every reason to just stay put and continue in his vital role.
But something stirred in him that day: (v4) ‘When I heard these things I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned…’ Like me, I’m sure he would have found it hard to put into words just why this news touched him so much now. After all, he was probably privy to updates about his homeland more than most of his fellow Jews. But this was the moment when God called him to act – and over the coming days we’ll see where that deep, divine conviction led him.
Is God speaking to you about anything at the moment? If He is, then maybe this a moment to resolve to listen – wherever it may lead. And if not – pray for those facing such a call: for wisdom, courage and grace to respond, in faithfulness to our glorious God.
Summer 2026: ‘Wildfires’ – The Holy Spirit, from Genesis to Revelation
This summer, we’ll immerse ourselves in the person and work of the Holy Spirit: from the first verses of Genesis, to the last verses of Revelation. Often the ‘forgotten’ part of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit is there at Creation, and also at the climax of the New Creation, throughout history revealing the reality of God’s presence and power to the world. So, let’s celebrate the Wildfire of the Holy Spirit, and continue to welcome His presence in our lives today!
Monday 17th August – Epilogue: Revelation 22:17 ‘The Spirit says “Come!”
And so to the final reference to the Spirit of God in the bible – we got there eventually! And fittingly, the Spirit’s gaze is directed towards Jesus – as it always is. The grand story of Scripture causes the Spirit to cry out a final encouragement, the only encouragement in a sense that the Spirit ever gives: ‘Come, Lord Jesus.’
History is his story. Jesus comes into our world, changes it forever, and from that point, the ultimate question is: when will he come again?
In one sense, Jesus is always coming into this world. Every time we pray the Lord’s prayer, we pray, ‘Your kingdom come, your will be done….’ – and we ask Jesus to come into this world a little bit more.
Every time we welcome the Spirit’s presence into our lives, the Spirit of Christ fills our hearts – and Jesus comes into this world a little bit more.
Every time a follower of Jesus offers a small act of kindness in Jesus’ name, feeds the hungry, visits the sick, gives a word of encouragement, mends a relationship, rights a small wrong – Jesus comes into this world a little bit more.
Every time someone prays a simple prayer inviting Jesus into their lives, and asking for help to follow him – Jesus comes into this world a little bit more.
But there will be a day when he comes back for good – good in both senses of the world, that is permanently and to our eternal benefit. This is the day the Spirit is working for, completing Jesus’ work on earth.
But it’s also what we long for too. It’s not just the Spirit that says come – the bride does, too. In John’s language ‘the bride’ means us. We are those who long for Jesus’ return. We’ve tasted a little, and know that God is good. But the great feast awaits. And so we work and pray, we live and love, we serve and trust and overcome, that one day Jesus might return and we can enjoy the fullness of his presence forever.
That day may be close, or it may be a long way away. We don’t – and can’t, or even shouldn’t – know. But as dawn follows night, it will come. And it will be worth the wait!
So as we pray, ‘Amen, come Holy Spirit’ into our lives today, so may we also pray, with the Spirit and for our world: ‘Amen, come Lord Jesus.’ For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are His, now and forever. Amen.
Note: Our back catalogue is still available here. There are series from all across the bible, and you can either view the PDF files online or download at your leisure.