How You Begin
How You Begin
Yahweh, the God of heaven, the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps His gracious covenant with those who love Him and keep His commands, let Your eyes be open and Your ears be attentive to hear Your servant’s prayer. (Neh. 1:5–6)
Why Wait?
Scripture is filled with stories of men who acted impulsively to solve a problem. We think of Peter’s ear chop, Moses’ sand-burial move, and Uzzah’s rescue of the ark of the covenant. Each ended in disaster. Nehemiah, however, was different. While he was bothered by the condition of Jerusalem, he began his plan of action where every man should begin a work of God—on his knees. In fact, he waited a good six months before harnessing the courage to approach the king and ask permission to lead the rebuilding effort.
Six months? Why wait? Because Nehemiah understood the power of prayer in the life of a leader.
How to Pray
Nehemiah began his prayer with humility, recognizing the people’s sin and pleading for God’s mercy. He didn’t see himself as the great savior of the Jewish people. He didn’t possess an overinflated assessment of his skills. He didn’t make demands of God. He just humbly prayed.
Leaders have a tendency to act first and pray later. They’re action oriented by nature. But this is where they often sow the seeds of failure. Every man, whether leading a Fortune 500 company or a small family, must prioritize prayer. That’s where Nehemiah really got it right. His prayer life more than his hard work or organizational skills led to success. He understood, as we also must, that no success can be achieved apart from God.
Bottom Line
Prayer is the leader’s most powerful weapon.