“Then the king said to me, ‘What are you requesting?’ So I prayed to the God of heaven.” – Nehemiah 2:4
Occasionally in life we face truly pivotal moments. Forks in the road of life from which there is no going back. On the one hand is a dangerous path of obedience to God and making a difference in the world. On the other hand is a safe path of continuing to do what you’ve always done. Which path will you choose when you come to the fork in the road? Dangerous obedience or safe sameness?
Nehemiah, Jewish cupbearer for the king of Persia, came to the fork in his road one day. The king saw him grieving the sorrowful state of Jerusalem and asked what was weighing on his mind. Nehemiah could have taken the safe road and said, as we often do, “Nothing” and continued as he was. However, he knew the burden and task God had given him. A burden to rebuild the broken down walls of his ancestral home. If Nehemiah spoken honestly about that with the king and it offended him, the king could easily demote him, fire him, or have him executed.
Nonetheless, Nehemiah knew the path God was calling him to take. Of course, he was afraid, as most of us would be. So, what did he do? He prayed before he spoke. He didn’t ask God what he should do, because he already knew the answer to that. He prayed for boldness and for God to help him be persuasive. He asked God to give the king a favorable ear toward his request. He prayed for success in his request to walk the dangerous path of obedience. God answered that prayer, as he loves to do.
Whenever you come to that fork in your road, knowing full well what God is calling you to do, take the path of obedience. But remember to pray for God’s boldness, power, and persuasiveness, that those whose assistance you need along the way will help you, whether they like it or not. Prayer is unimaginably powerful, especially when you’re walking the path of obedience. #FollowJesus