Monday, July 12, 2010

This past week in my high school girls bible study we talked about building walls against Satan's attack.  Before preparing for study I had never taken a look at the book of Nehemiah...Ever! Nehemiah is in preparation to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem after the exile. In his despair he sits down and prays to the Lord.  His prayer is so beautiful...

"And I said, "O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,  let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses.  Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples,  but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.'  They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man."
    Now I was cupbearer to the king." 
Nehemiah 1:5-11

I read this prayer and think of how watered down my prayers are.  Last summer when I was in Africa, the Ghanaian's valued praying to the Lord.  They confessed everything before him and held nothing back.  They trusted and loved him completely.  I long to have prayers like this.   Through this scripture I am completely and utterly amazed at how the Lord continues to teach me things about myself.  

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