What Is Your Jerusalem?

The Bible is filled with wonderful examples for how we should be living our lives. The problem we seem to be having is in the application of these examples. The Book of Nehemiah provides an excellent pattern for us to follow, so go grab your Bible, and a pen.

Nehemiah and the vast majority of the Jews were taken away captive to Babylon. Their 70-year captivity was brought about by Israel's disobedience to God.

Read Chapter One and underline all the "action" phrases. Here's a list from the NKJV:

(v2) - I questioned

(v4) - I heard, I sat down and wept, (I) mourned for many days, I was fasting and praying

(v5) - I said

The first thing Nehemiah did when travelers came his way was to ask how his brothers and sisters were doing and how the holy city was. He asked and then he heard. Then he sat down and wept, mourned for many days as he fasted and prayed.

Do we do that when something distresses us? When something concerns us very deeply, do we pray, mourn and weep, or do we try to handle things on our own?

In Nehemiah's prayer there is a key element that many of us miss. We simply pray and then we expect results. How often I have heard, "God's not answering my prayers" or "I have prayed but nothing is happening." The key to answered prayer is in verse five. Underline it twice!

5Then I said:

“Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. 7We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses." - Nehemiah 1:5-7

We say that we love God and that we keep his commandments. Do we really? Are we that obedient? Have we kept EVERY commandment? DO we 'love our neighbor'? Do we 'shed innocent blood'? Do we lie?

Now here's the big question: What is your Jerusalem? What in your life is so important to you that, if faced with its destruction, you would actually do these things that Nehemiah did?

Is a loved one sick? You might have prayed. Did you fast? Did you weep? Did you mourn? Are you struggling in a relationship? Verse five says that God "keeps His covenant of love with those who love Him and keep His commandments." How is your relationship with God?

That's the real question, isn't it? Do we love God that much that we would submit to His will, follow His commandments. If we do that THEN God will hear our prayer. We can't just jump right to the praying part and expect results. We need the repentance part. We need the humility part. THEN . . . and only then, will God heard our prayer.