1 These are the memoirs of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah.

In late autumn, in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign, I was at the fortress of Susa. ² Hanani, one of my brothers, came to visit me with some other men who had just arrived from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had returned there from captivity and about how things were going in Jerusalem.

³ They said to me, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”

⁴ When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.

Nehemiah 1:1-4

Dear God, this story still moves me. I think I first read it just over 23 years ago in December 2002. The fact that Nehemiah was so moved that he sat down and wept over Jerusalem and the Jews who returned from exile. He ached for them. He didn’t know what to do, but he lamented. In verses 5-11 he just prays. He begs your mercy. He begs for your help. In chapter 2, it wasn’t until the following spring that you provided the opportunity for him to become the leader of restoring Jerusalem and the culture of the Jews who had returned to Judah. Things didn’t move fast, necessarily, but they moved in your time. But it started with lament and then prayer.

The woman who started the clinic where I work almost 34 years ago started in a similar way. She started with a recognition of a need and prayer to you. Then she did the next thing. And nothing happened instantly. I’m always surprised how long things can take. But here we 34 years later and what she started–the seed you planted that found good soil–has continued to grow. And you have blessed it. Sometimes it seems to be that you have blessed it unreasonably so.

Now, I’m talking to a church this morning in a couple of hours about our work, but I want it to be about more than just our clinic. That seems like such a waste of an opportunity, especially an opportunity to speak during a worship service. I want to point the congregation to you. I want to point them to what you might be calling them to do. I want to be your voice to them if you will let me.

Father, be glorified through me this morning. Help me to speak with your voice. Help me to speak with authority granted only by you. Holy Spirit, take over what I’m going to say. I love you, Lord. Use me.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen