The Gracious Hand Of God Was On Me
December 22, 2021·Mario Ortiz
“The gracious hand of God was on me” — what a powerful statement!
This week, we’re in the Book of Nehemiah. Jerusalem had been invaded and destroyed, and the people of God had been taken captive. Nehemiah was born during the Babylonian Exile, and although he grew up a foreigner, God prospered him. He rose through the ranks and eventually held the prestigious and highly trusted position of King Artaxerxes’ cupbearer.
What an opportunity for Nehemiah it was to be close to the king! I’m sure that in God’s divine plan, holding such a position shaped things in him that would later come in handy.
Nehemiah’s life inspires me, and even more inspiring is his response to the news he hears about the state of the land of his ancestors and how “things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah” (Nehemiah 1:3).
His people were suffering, the wall of Jerusalem had been torn down, and the gates destroyed by fire. How did he respond? In Nehemiah 1:4, it says, “When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days, I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.”
Nehemiah goes into a time of weeping and mourning. However, he didn’t just weep or mourn; he got over the mourning and weeping and fixed his eyes on God. Nehemiah fasted and prayed fervently. He goes into the kind of prayer we should learn how to pray. He confesses his sins, his family’s, and his people’s. And after that, he does something extraordinary! He reminds God of His promises! As if God had forgotten, he humbly, but boldly, reminds God of what He would do if the people honored Him. I love how Nehemiah was moved with compassion for his homeland and his people. He cared so much about their wellbeing, he was willing to risk it all. Nehemiah decided he would ask the king to give him permission to go and help his people. When we read or hear this, it seems as if it’s a simple ask; however, such an ask could have cost him his life. Please, go and read the whole story!
Nehemiah asks the Lord, “put it into his heart to be kind to me.” And the king was. The king wasn’t only kind to him, he was merciful, and everything Nehemiah asked for he got! Nehemiah 2:8 says, “And the king granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me.”
I believe Nehemiah was granted all his requests and rebuilt the wall in record time, because he cared and had compassion for others. In chapter one, we read that he wept, mourned, fasted, and prayed for others. Nehemiah wasn’t in love with his position, title, or the commodity of living in the palace. NO, instead, he cared about his neighbor, and God answered his prayers!
I want to encourage us today to look past our immediate needs. Look past our wants. Look past our egocentric prayers, and let’s look at the needs of our neighbors… better yet! Let’s be the answer to the prayers of our neighbors. And, when we do that, when we care for others like Jesus cares for us, then “the good and gracious hand of God” will be on us, and our requests, our prayers will be answered.
Pastor Mario Ortiz
