And it came about in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. So the king said to me, “Why is your face sad though you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart.” Then I was very much afraid (Nehemiah 2:1-2)
Nehemiah’s the classic biblical account for studies on spiritual leadership. It’s also a favorite at men’s conferences because it appeared that this “dude’s got game.” Here’s a man in a high level position with every move scrutinized, especially if he reacted strangely to the wine he tasted! Up to this point he’d performed flawlessly with emotions in check, but God had his hooks in him, and the Almighty was now calling the shots. His stoic veneer had been replaced during his persistent time of prayer and fasting with a sadness he couldn’t shake. The God of heaven has a way of exposing our vulnerabilities so that He can shine through. To the king’s incisive query he had to respond, and he did so with a complaint that revealed the leader he was and would prove to be.
True leaders are not impulsive and reactionary, but prepared and rehearsed. When asked by the king to explain the sadness on his face, his reply was on point, reflecting significant time focusing on the reasons for his call to action.
I said to the king, “Let the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?” (Nehemiah 2:3)
The question he poses cannot be argued. The king would likely feel the same way if he was in Nehemiah’s sandals. Praying about “it” is more than just vocalizing our desperation to God. It’s a time when he aligns our thinking with his and the issues at hand are crystallized. A well “prayed up” response should be right on the money, and Nehemiah’s was.
Don’t be surprised, therefore, when what you ask for elicits a positive reaction. I’ve always loved this bit of background to Nehemiah’s prepared response, “So I prayed to the God of heaven. (Nehemiah 2:4) In other words, like us, Nehemiah said this under his breath as he stepped forward, “Help me Lord.” God speaks to us on our knees and in real time.
Since he had a “concrete” task to do, he had developed a logical critical path to get it done, which allowed him to give the king a definite timeframe for completion and his imminent return. What should not be lost on us is that he did not do what we’re prone to do, that is transfer the problem to the boss and wait for his approach. He knew what he needed to do the job, what would grease the skids, so to speak, and he asked for it; namely, the time and materials required plus protection for the journey ahead. Implied was the need for the king’s seal of approval.
As an aside, the account gives us an interesting tidbit of information. This proposal was not only made to the king but to the queen who was “sitting beside him.” (Nehemiah 2:6) Now this is pure speculation on my part, but merely a nod or wink from her could have motivated the king to act magnanimously.
And the king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me. (Nehemiah 2:8)
When we pray we ask for the “good hand” of God to be upon us. How do we know when it is? Like Indiana Jones, we might not when we take our first step, but it will become clearly evident in due time. We need to be convinced that prayer is the only way to gain God’s full attention and his help in times of trouble. My wife is prone to say this as I hesitate on cue, “ You did pray about this!”
5 Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it. 6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday. (Psalm 37:5–6)
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