Nehemiah's Tears and Prayer

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Nehemiah lived in the Persian palace and served as the king's most trusted cupbearer. He was diligent and careful. One day, his brother Hanani came back from faraway Judah to see him. The two brothers had been apart for a long time and embraced one another tightly. Nehemiah eagerly asked about Jerusalem. But Hanani's face became heavy, and he said softly, "The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire. The people left there are in great trouble, and no one protects them." When Nehemiah heard this, tears rolled down his cheeks. He sat down and wept and mourned for many days. He could not let go of his people, nor of God's holy city. So Nehemiah fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. He sincerely confessed that he and the people had wandered from God's ways. He held tightly to God's promise: "If you return to me, I will gather you again." He cried out for God's mercy, and asked God to grant him favor in the sight of the king, because a brave idea was growing in his heart — he wanted to go back to Jerusalem himself and help the people rebuild the wall. The next morning, Nehemiah put on his finest robe and lifted the king's golden cup. His hands trembled a little, but his heart was filled with God's mercy. Step by step, he walked toward the palace hall; his tears had become a prayer, and the prayer had become courage. This story tells us: when we see trouble in ourselves or in others, the very first thing to do is to come to God in prayer — God is a good God full of mercy, who listens to every sincere cry, and who gives courage so that we may become a blessing to others.