Heartbrokenness

Nehemiah 1:3–11 (NASB 95)

3 They said to me, “The remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire.”

4 When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5 I said, “I beseech You, O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, 6 let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; I and my father’s house have sinned. 7 We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. 8 Remember the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful I will scatter you among the peoples; 9 but if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though those of you who have been scattered were in the most remote part of the heavens, I will gather them from there and will bring them to the place where I have chosen to cause My name to dwell.’ 10 They are Your servants and Your people whom You redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand. 11 O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name, and make Your servant successful today and grant him compassion before this man.”

Now I was the cupbearer to the king.

Examine / Explain

Nehemiah the Jewish cupbearer to Persian King Artaxerxes heard the plight of Jerusalem and mourned over it.  In his grief, he calls out to God and reminds Him of His character. Nehemiah was called into action not by a specific command from God but the character of Nehemiah led him into a calling. The heart of Nehemiah would not rest until Jerusalem was restored.

What’s the application?

What position has God placed me in, in that I have the ability and opportunity to answer a call and be the hope in a broken place? Nehemiah was uniquely positioned to have the Persian King’s ear. The king had to trust his cupbearer with his life. In the next chapter, Nehemiah is able to utilize his relationship with the King to ask favor of him. Nehemiah was heartbroken over the state of his people and his home. What am I heartbroken over? Nehemiah’s brokenness drove him to draw closer to God. Where am I in my brokenness? Nehemiah knew his position and knew God is able to do greater things. What do I believe and where am I? My heart is broken for a man who is stuck in his addiction. A man in bondage to sin. A man who feels trapped in a cage of shame and regrets. Even young men that are bound to watch immorality on over and over again because they are incapable of letting it go. I hear the culture and state of men in the world and my heart sinks. My eyes fill with tears over what my daughters are going to have to deal with when they are married. I don’t know that there is any male over the age of ten who hasn’t had to deal with sexual sin in their lives. I know the struggles that I deal with. I know my past and where I came from to reach where I am. There was a lot of work and I still have work to do. But that doesn’t change the heart God has put in me to help those around me.

What’s my response?

Dad, send me. I need help to get out of my own way and let me help other broken men. I feel the burden to do more. I want to do more to help. God, what does that look like? Is it more podcast? More content on a website? I don’t believe it is. I think it’s more talking. More relationships. It’s holding space for men and young men so they can put on the work of being a godly man. There is a journey of biblical manhood and I don’t believe there is a cookie cutter for it. Yes, we are to look like Christ in the end but we are each uniquely crafted by a powerful loving God. So, why wouldn’t each of us have our journey to manhood be different? Do we all take the same general path? Yes, but it takes the whole body to make the church. We are individuals with a commonality. Jesus and love one another. How am I doing? Am I reaching toward Christ-likeness? Am I loving others? If not, change my heart so that I am and I can. Amen.