Moving Forward by Faith

“The king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, ‘How long will your journey be, and when will you return?’ So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time.” – Nehemiah 2:6 NASB

Nehemiah was overwhelmed after hearing about the “great distress” of the people living in his homeland. How “the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire.” Burdened by this disturbing news, Nehemiah committed this crisis to God.

Then, when Nehemiah came before King Artaxerxes, he sensed that something was bothering Nehemiah. When pressed for a reason, Nehemiah revealed his concerns about Jerusalem, and his desire to help his people. But what to do? How to respond? After a silent prayer, Nehemiah boldly requested that the king send him to Judah to rebuild the wall.

Perhaps surprisingly, the king granted his request. His only concerns? The length of the journey and how long Nehemiah would be gone.

What a challenging situation! Nehemiah had no idea what lay ahead. He had no personal experience in any aspect of this project yet needed to give an answer. So, he committed the situation to God, believing that He would guide his thoughts and give the answer he needed.

Having prayed, he then provided “a definite time.” What was the basis for this projection? Ultimately, he had to trust God, knowing that he had sought Him about the problem.

How often we might find ourselves in similar situations. Asked to do things for which we have no prior experience. Needing to describe how we would act in situations with many unknowns. What should we do?

Following Nehemiah’s example, we should start by having a strong relationship with God. Confident in His presence. Basing our lives on His Word. As we commit our needs to Him, we should have faith that He will guide us, but always staying sensitive to Him. Always trusting, confident that He will direct our steps.

Prayer: Father, I commit these situations to You: _______. Thank You for guiding me. Thank You for Your help. I trust You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.