Scripture to Read: Nehemiah 1:5
Today our focus will be on Nehemiah 1:5, as Nehemiah begins his prayer. Nehemiah starts his prayer recognizing how great, awesome, excellent, magnificent, and wonderful is our Lord God Almighty. Prayer is such an incredible privilege for each believer, and we must take advantage of our awesome opportunity to pray every day. As we pray, we must always start our prayer recognizing the beauty, power, wonder, majesty, and glory of our great God and King. God deserves to be praised, lauded, glorified, magnified, and lifted-up in every prayer we lay before His throne of grace. Jesus even taught us in Matthew 6:9, in the model prayer, to begin our prayer, not necessarily with these exact words, “Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name,” but Jesus taught us to recognize that God Almighty is the One True God of all heaven. Jesus also taught us that God alone is holy and worthy to be praised. Nehemiah continues in his prayer, reminding himself as he is talking to God the Father, that God the Father is the one who keeps His covenant with those who walk in obedience to Him. Though we fail every day to walk in complete obedience to our Lord, we can rest in God’s promise that God always keeps His promises and will never fail us. Nehemiah also recognizes God’s lovingkindness towards everyone who loves Him and walks in obedience to His commands. We know God loves everyone, but those who refuse Him miss the love He has for them.
Challenge & Application
1. What did God teach you today about how you ought to start your prayers each day?
2. Spend some time right now talking to your Heavenly Father lauding, praising, and adoring who He is as our great God and King.
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!