Nehemiah – Pray without ceasing

We are going to consider each of these, looking at Nehemiah as an example of what it looks like to “pray without ceasing.” (1 Thess. 5:17)

The story begins when Nehemiah gets an update on how things are going in Jerusalem with the Jews that returned after the decree of Cyrus. Although the temple has been rebuilt, the walls and gates are broken down and the people “are in great affliction and reproach.” By verse 4 of chapter 1, Nehemiah is on his knees.

Nehemiah’s first recorded prayer is found in 1:4-11 and is by far the longest. It shows us his heart, and in doing so tells us about the heart behind every prayer that follows and sets an example for us of what it looks like to “come boldly to the throne of grace.” (Heb. 4:16) Boldness is not arrogance or flippancy – Nehemiah’s prayer is suffused with humility. Humility defines his address to God, sponsors confession, and frames his requests. Note that three times he says “I beseech thee…”

“Beseech” is not language of demand. It is not the language of an equal, but of a powerless and undeserving suppliant towards his sovereign Lord. As we come boldly and make our requests known, may we always come to Him as such.

Knowing what we do about Nehemiah from studying this book, this was likely just the beginning of a stream of importunate prayer that flowed continuously until it was answered. In fact Nehemiah says in 1:6 that he prayed this “day and night.” But it was about four months from the time of his first prayer (the month Chisleu) to the day that it was answered (the month Nisan), and it would not have been for want of audience with the king. As the king’s cupbearer, Nehemiah would have been in his presence often, if not daily.

Have you ever prayed faithfully for one thing for so long that when God does move it’s almost a shock, like waking from a dream by dunking your head in cold water. I think this is how Nehemiah must have felt when one day the king turned to him and asked, “why do you look so sad?” Nehemiah tells us “then I was very sore afraid!” Maybe he was nervous about how this powerful and temperamental king would react to his next words, but likely he was in shock and awe at the active hand of God, who after four months of silence had suddenly reached out and opened a door. After explaining to the king exactly why he’s sad, the Bible says this:

“Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said unto the king…” (Neh. 2:4-5)

The king asks a question, and Nehemiah answers it immediately. He can’t say “hold that thought while I go pray for half an hour about what to say next.” That would not have gone over very well. At most, his prayer was a silent “Lord, help.” More likely it was a wordless arrow from his heart straight to the throne of grace.

There are three things we need to see in this:

God is not a video game. You don’t have to earn a certain amount of experience points praying long involved prayers before He will hear your short simple prayers. But God is also not a vending machine, for us to pop in a quarter now and then when we happen to get hungry. Consider the example of Nehemiah.

Nehemiah’s next eight prayers are fascinating, and as far as I can tell, unique in all the Bible. Each one is only one sentence long, and in each he shifts seamlessly from a first-person past tense narration of things that have happened into a first-person present tense prayer, then back again. As if, each time he sits down to record what has happened since his last update, his internal conversation with God is so urgent, so alive, so present that it streams out through the pen and onto the page. Four examples are below. (The other four are 4:1-6, 6:13, 13:13, 13:28-29.)

5:18 “… yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people. Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people. Now it came to pass…”

6:8  “Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart. For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands. Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah…”

13.22 “And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy. In those days also I saw Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab…”

13:28-31 “Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business; And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.”

“Remember me, O my God, for good” is the last sentence in Nehemiah.

The following quotes are from Brother Lawrence, a 17^th century Carmelite Monk:

“We should establish ourselves in a sense of God's Presence by continually conversing with Him.”

“We might accustom ourselves to a continual conversation with Him with freedom and in simplicity. We need only to recognize God intimately present with us and address ourselves to Him every moment.”

“I make it my priority to persevere in His holy presence, wherein I maintain a simple attention and a fond regard for God, which I may call an actual presence of God. Or, to put it another way, it is an habitual, silent, and private conversation of the soul with God. This gives me much joy and contentment.”

This is what it looks like to “pray without ceasing.” Throughout the dramatic story that unfolds in this book, Nehemiah acts with exceptional wisdom, perception, energy, decision, and boldness. It is not a coincidence that he begins his book with prayer, ends his book with prayer, and, despite myriad responsibilities and incredibly busy days, never ceases his continual conversation with God.