Nehemiah 2

Nehemiah was a “foreigner” who worked directly for the king.  I believe he had a pretty good relationship with King Artaxerxes (King A from here on out) because the king asked him what was bothering him.  “Why the long face?”  I know that your body language and facial expressions can give away your mood, but unless you really know someone well, you don’t know if they just always look like that or they are actually having a bad day.  From my experience, I have some friends that just always look like they are strung out on something, but I know they aren’t.  I’m sure people assume that about them all the time and it is wrong.  So I don’t think King A was assuming that about Nehemiah.  I think he knew Nehemiah.

Then, Nehemiah had the guts to tell him what was going on in his head and in his heart.  I don’t know about you, but I haven’t always wanted to get down and personal with my boss.  Most people say that you should leave your personal issues at home and your work issues at work and not let them effect each other.  [Aside: Is this even possible?!?]

If opening up to his boss wasn’t enough Nehemiah went a step further and asked his boss for something.  I have always been nervous about asking people for things not matter what the situation is.  Best selling author, W. Clement Stone said, “If there is something to gain and nothing to lose by asking, then by all means, ask!”  Oliver Wendell Holmes said, “A man may fulfill the object of his existence by asking a question he cannot answer, and attempting a task he cannot achieve.“

People don’t just hand things out.  You have to ask for anything you want that is worth having.  Nehemiah didn’t think there was any chance in the world that King A would give him what he asked for.  But he asked, and asked and asked.  Let me go rebuild the city…give me papers so I can have safe passage…give me timber so I can rebuild the city wall and my house.  And King A said, yes, yes, and yes.  By asking this question, Nehemiah began to fulfill the object of his existence.  Awesome!

My prayer is that the Lord would give me the questions to ask so that I may fulfill the object of MY existence.

There are two more points that I thought were just awesome in chapter two, but you will have to wait until next time to find out.