Daily Devotional
Do You Bring Your Needs to God?
“Then the king said to me, ‘What do you request?’ So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said to the king, ‘If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.’ Then the king said to me (the queen also sitting beside him), ‘How long will your journey be? And when will you return?’ So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.”
Nehemiah 2:4-6
July 7, 2024
Ponder This
Even though Nehemiah asked for help from King Artaxerxes and received a favorable reply, it wasn’t from the true King. Nehemiah received help from Almighty God. He turned to God, saying the king’s heart was in the hand of the Lord. Just like the rivers of waters, God turns the king’s heart wherever He will. Even though it appeared from the outside as if King Artaxerxes were doing something for Nehemiah, it was God doing something for Nehemiah. It was after prayer to God that Nehemiah saw the favor from the human king.
So often when we see a problem, we jump to fix it on our own power. Nehemiah saw the task that needed to be done and prayed for it. You can’t serve God on your own. You need the King’s permission. You need the King’s authority. Would you ask God for His blessing? Seek His hand on you so that you might have the King’s permission and authority and so that the King of kings would use you.
- How quickly do you bring your needs before the Lord? What causes you to hesitate?
- When have you seen God answer a prayer through another person?
Practice This
Ask a pastor or small group leader about a time he or she felt God’s permission to do something after seeking Him in prayer.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Real Truth Never Changes
Real truth never changes, and the truth about government is that it is God who ordains it, leaders who are responsible for it, and citizens who are accountable to it. The privilege of being called Americans comes with significant responsibilities—to God, to each other, and to the world.
