(Continued from Tuesday)

Nehemiah interrupted my thoughts about fasting like Isaiah.

“Every day I said, ‘God you are the faithful one, the committed one. Please listen to me.’

Every day I said, ‘We have sinned. Generations of us, yes, but my family too. And I have sinned, God.’ That reminder was important to me as I was learning about sharing and justice and compassion. I learned to look at my own behavior.

“Every day I reminded God about the stories of repentance from Moses and from Isaiah. And when I did that, I was reminding myself.

“And every day I wanted to be ready for serving the King.”

I held up my hand. “When you say “King”, do you mean your king, Artexerxes, or your King, God?”

“Yes.”

I thought about Nehemiah’s words. Four months, every day, morning and evening. Four months learning to give up deserved meals to share with others. Four months of learning to discern misappropriated power. Four months of developing integrity of heart and mind. Four months of going to work while still going to God. Four months of asking God to give him favor in the King’s eyes.

“Are you saying,” I asked, “That every morning and every evening, your prayer was simply acknowledging sin, asking God to listen to you, and asking for a good reputation with your boss?”

He nodded. “It’s simple to say. It’s harder to do than you would think.”

Finally, I looked at him and said, “You spent more time fasting and praying than you did rebuilding the walls. So which part was the great work?”

“Precisely,” he replied. With a nod, he walked out.

I looked at Nehemiah’s prayer. (Nehemiah 1:5-12.)

Morning and evening, I’ve been looking at it. And at my heart. And thinking that four months may not be long enough.

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Reflecting on Nehemiah 1. Taken from A Great Work: A Conversation with Nehemiah for People (Who Want to Be) Doing Great Works.