A prayer between question and answer; a survey by dark
Prepared for the Irvine chapter of the Google Christian Fellowship
Four months later, in Nisan, Nehemiah’s sorrow shows in the king’s presence—a dangerous thing for a cupbearer. Asked why his face is sad, he is very much afraid; between Artaxerxes’ question and his own answer he prays to the God of heaven, then asks plainly: leave to rebuild, letters for safe passage, timber from the royal forest. The good hand of God grants it all. In Jerusalem he waits three days, then rides out by night with a few men, inspecting broken walls and burned gates, telling no one. Only afterward does he speak: “Come, let us build.” Hands strengthen for the good work—and Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem begin to jeer and despise them.
“‘Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.’… And they said, ‘Let us rise up and build.’ So they strengthened their hands for the good work.”Nehemiah 2:17–18
“He asked God to give him wisdom and understanding whereby he might rule his people, and build His House…”Kebra Nagast, of Solomon the builder · Kebra Nagast ch. 25 (trans. Budge)
“This prayer alone makes it possible to fulfill the injunction of the Fathers: the hands at work, the mind and heart with God.”St. Theophan the Recluse · The Art of Prayer (Igumen Chariton, trans. Kadloubovsky & Palmer), pp. 92–101
“First of all, every time you begin a good work, you must pray to him most earnestly to bring it to perfection.”St. Benedict · Rule of St. Benedict, Prologue 4 (RB 1980)
“We may make an oratory of our heart so we can, from time to time, retire to converse with Him in meekness, humility, and love.”Brother Lawrence · The Practice of the Presence of God, Seventh Letter (Gutenberg ed. 5657)
“Prayer which, as it were, hurls a dart and then it is done… the concentration of many knocks into one.”Charles Spurgeon · “Ejaculatory Prayer,” Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit vol. 23, on Neh. 2:4 (Sept. 9, 1877)
“I believe the most adequate description of prayer is simply, ‘Talking to God about what we are doing together.’”Dallas Willard · The Divine Conspiracy, ch. 7, “The Community of Prayerful Love”