Nehemiah 1:1 – When was the last time you fasted and prayed about the moral state of affairs in our country.  I was struck this morning by  Nehemiah’s words “hear us who delight in revering your name” … from Nehemiah 1:1.  I immediately thought….Lord who truly reveres your name today.  Do we revere it enough that it makes a difference in our daily lives, in our time spent, in what we spend our money on?

Something happened in Nehemiah’s heart that created a burning desire to begin the work of rebuilding Jerusalem.  This was no small task.  He had purpose and now what he needed was provision and protection.  Trusting in the Lord, he comes before the King and makes his request known.  To his JOY (and God true to his word) he finds favor with the King.  He sets out to begin his mission, and the rest is history.

Of course it should be noted that Nehemiah had his enemies.  Like many of us who set out to do good today, there are always the “ites” who will attempt to thwart God’s purpose in our lives.