A Broken Spirit

Last week we learned that Nehemiah had a discontented heart. He heard about something that he wanted to see change. So after he wept and mourned and fasted, did he get right to work? No! Before praying for God's guidance and protection, he asked for God's forgiveness for him and his people! What!? Why? Because Nehemiah understood why God's people had been sent into captivity. He understood why things were not going right after they had returned from captivity. He knew there was unconfessed sin that had created a barrier between God and the people, and that that sin kept them from experiencing God's blessings. What is notable is that as Nehemiah prayed, he also included himself. Even though he seems like a righteous person, he realized that the people's sins were his sins. He could have simply pointed his finger and blamed others, but he didn’t. He not only owned his sins, but he owned the sins of his people AND the sins of past generations. What Nehemiah recognized is that renewal starts on our knees. What we want to see happen “out there” can only take place if the right work has been done “in here.” Do we have a spirit that is broken for the things of the Lord? Are we asking for God to be at the center of our lives AND our dreams? As we will discover, Nehemiah was an organizer. He knew how to pull teams together. He was knowledgeable about woods, metals, and surveying. But he didn’t begin by raising money or gathering workers; his work began with prayer. “LORD, the God of heaven … let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying.” Nehemiah realized his plans would be futile if the Lord wasn’t at the center of them from the start.