Do You Really Know What You Want?
In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, so the king asked me, "Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill?"
. . . The king said to me, "What is it you want?"
Then I prayed to the God of heaven and I answered the king, "If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it."
Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, "How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?" It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.
I also said to him, "If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah?"
And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?" And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests. So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king's letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me. Nehemiah 2:1-9
. . . The king said to me, "What is it you want?"
Then I prayed to the God of heaven and I answered the king, "If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it."
Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, "How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?" It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.
I also said to him, "If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah?"
And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?" And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests. So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king's letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me. Nehemiah 2:1-9
Then the king said to me, "What is it you want?"
When Nehemiah heard about the appalling conditions in Judah and the fact that the gates of Jerusalem had been burned with fire and its wall broken down, he fasted, prayed and petitioned God to help him remedy the situation. God granted him favor before the king and the way was paved for him to travel back to Jerusalem to pursue his vision. As I think over Nehemiah's exchange with the king, I am struck by one thing that could be easily overlooked: Nehemiah knew exactly what he wanted from the king to help him accomplish his vision.
These were his needs:
First: He told the king that he needed to go back to Judah to rebuild his ancestral city which was in ruins. Second: He knew how long he needed to be away in Judah to accomplish his vision. This was in response to the king's question about how long Nehemiah would be away and when he hoped to return. Third: Nehemiah asked for letters to the governors to ensure that they would grant him safe travel until he arrived in Judah. Fourth: Nehemiah asked for enough timber to be given to him for the beams to be used in constructing the gates of the citadel by the temple, the city wall and the house in which he was personally going to live.
God graciously touched the heart of the king to grant Nehemiah everything he requested.
Question: What if Nehemiah went unprepared to answer the king's questions? What if after all the days of mourning, fasting and praying, he had no idea of the resources he needed to accomplish his God-given vision? It is evident that Nehemiah had taken time not just to pray but also to think through the project ahead and know exactly what he needed to accomplish it, including the length of time he needed to be away.
It is important to cover every dream and vision with prayers but it is also expedient to know exactly what needs to be done and what resources are needed to accomplish it. Nehemiah was adequately prepared on both accounts.
So, question: As you seek God in prayer about the things you want to accomplish, do you know exactly what is needed to get those things done? Have you done your homework? If God were to send a benefactor your way, would you be prepared to answer probing questions like Nehemiah answered the king? Do you know what you want and what resources you need to accomplish those things? Don't just fast and pray; also plan and know what you need to accomplish your vision as well. God is ready to bless you but do you really know what you want? The Bible says, "Ask and it will be given to you" but do you know what you want?
When Nehemiah heard about the appalling conditions in Judah and the fact that the gates of Jerusalem had been burned with fire and its wall broken down, he fasted, prayed and petitioned God to help him remedy the situation. God granted him favor before the king and the way was paved for him to travel back to Jerusalem to pursue his vision. As I think over Nehemiah's exchange with the king, I am struck by one thing that could be easily overlooked: Nehemiah knew exactly what he wanted from the king to help him accomplish his vision.
These were his needs:
First: He told the king that he needed to go back to Judah to rebuild his ancestral city which was in ruins. Second: He knew how long he needed to be away in Judah to accomplish his vision. This was in response to the king's question about how long Nehemiah would be away and when he hoped to return. Third: Nehemiah asked for letters to the governors to ensure that they would grant him safe travel until he arrived in Judah. Fourth: Nehemiah asked for enough timber to be given to him for the beams to be used in constructing the gates of the citadel by the temple, the city wall and the house in which he was personally going to live.
God graciously touched the heart of the king to grant Nehemiah everything he requested.
Question: What if Nehemiah went unprepared to answer the king's questions? What if after all the days of mourning, fasting and praying, he had no idea of the resources he needed to accomplish his God-given vision? It is evident that Nehemiah had taken time not just to pray but also to think through the project ahead and know exactly what he needed to accomplish it, including the length of time he needed to be away.
It is important to cover every dream and vision with prayers but it is also expedient to know exactly what needs to be done and what resources are needed to accomplish it. Nehemiah was adequately prepared on both accounts.
So, question: As you seek God in prayer about the things you want to accomplish, do you know exactly what is needed to get those things done? Have you done your homework? If God were to send a benefactor your way, would you be prepared to answer probing questions like Nehemiah answered the king? Do you know what you want and what resources you need to accomplish those things? Don't just fast and pray; also plan and know what you need to accomplish your vision as well. God is ready to bless you but do you really know what you want? The Bible says, "Ask and it will be given to you" but do you know what you want?
Prayer: Father, I thank you for the vision you have placed in my heart. Please help me not just to seek your blessings, but also for wisdom to know exactly what is needed to accomplish the vision. Amen