In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa,
Ne 1:2Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.
Ne 1:3They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”
Ne 1:4When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.
Ne 1:5Then 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,
Ne 1:6let 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.
Ne 1:7We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
Ne 1:8“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations,
Ne 1:9but 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.’
Ne 1:10“They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand.
Ne 1:11O 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.”
I was cupbearer to the king.
I love the humble submission, admittance of sin, repentance and earnest seeking of God in this prayer. I encourage us all to adopt this as our prayer for our nation. What would happen if we really joined together, seeking God with this kind of intensity for our nation and beyond?
Kristina Seymour loves to encourage and equip women through the Word and through community. She is the author of The Warrior Mom Handbook, The Warrior Mom Leadership Manual, and The Warrior Wife Handbook; they are available at Amazon.com. Kristina's Bible studies are for women who desire to live by faith in the midst of their everyday lives. She has learned that women can't survive on caffeine and animal crackers alone; women in the Word and in community are united and able to stand firm. To learn more about Kristina, please visit her recently founded Share & Company Publishing House http://seymourkristina.wix.com/shareandcopublishingto. God loves to share His story of love and grace through us all, and Kristina believes that everyone has a story to tell.
