Growing up with parents in the last century (1951-1970 to be exact); we were trained to “read the room” of emotions and feelings of our parents at any given moment. Being  taught the commandment to “honor your mother and father” in ways pleasing to God meant giving them the respect they deserved.  For me, honoring my parents, and my grandparents who also attended our church and who were very much a part of my life; meant to be of help to them.  To be helper meant putting aside what I wanted until it was the right time to ask or be asked.

You see, in that era, most children growing up in the fifties instinctively knew when our parents had a hard day at work because of the look on their faces.  We knew when they had been challenged by people not pulling their weight at work or when others had  mocked them for their faith while working to do their best. Their look told of their challenges and their sighs of their weariness without saying a word. Later, they would talked about it to each other. And I listened—with knowing they would figure it out.

Most children also knew those times when our parents were disagreeable with each other and needed time to sort it all out. They were human.  Most of us knew this was not the time be in the room but to go outside and play while they did.  This “knowing” is developed over time with “trial and error” but most of us knew when to ask for our current desires and when not to ask. Timing was something most learned well. 

When it came to our silly, childish behaviors; most of us also knew the line we must not cross.  I say most of us, for I had a younger brother, seven years younger than I, who failed often at “reading the room” with asking, nagging, and begging for his wants to be met immediately even at high stress moments.  I would try to warn him.  But my younger brother, thought he was the center of the room attention. He assumed his wants must be met no matter what was going on at any given moment.  I cringed when he asked with complete confidence that his needs be met. The weird thing was that most times he got what he wanted because my parents would give in just to end the begging. As the oldest, I felt this was discipline fail on their part! (Smiling), but looking back at the whole; my training led me to stronger faith in God with honor for them.

You see, in my era, most children knew they were loved and cared for by God loving parents, but we also knew their love was accompanied by the discipline to know that we were not the most important person in the room—or in the world! The word “discipline” does not mean beating someone into submission as many think today of believing parents trying to raise their children.  Godly Discipline is merely the process of learning and growing to be consistent in doing what is right. Discipline is not abusive but loving with extreme care for their well being in all ways.

The children of the fifties were certainly loved, protected, and provided for by most parents. But Godly parents also disciplined us to walk humbly with God, while listening for God, with attitudes of trust and obedience to God. They taught us that God’s Word, coupled with His Holy Spirt living in us, is our Life Source for a developing discipline of faith, hope, and love for God and others.  Godly parents often model what Jesus taught and demonstrated on earth. Redeemed parents also teach forgiveness by modeling forgiveness for others who sinned against them. These lessons of disciplined faith with committed hearts for God do not go unnoticed by the children of parents who know they are not perfect but perfectly forgiven and disciplined to seek God first in all they think, say, and do. 

This child saw, knew, and believed it. God gave me the ability to read the room which is aids me in pointing the Way to Jesus in helpful ways. I’m grateful for my parents and grandparents who were not afraid or timid about demonstrating their faith to me and to the rest of world with a quiet, unrestrained discipline with purpose—to please God. 

Nehemiah, the Cupbearer, comes to the throne with a “look” that troubles the King.  In our passage yesterday, we read how Nehemiah responded to the devasting news of Jerusalem’s brokeness.  When he heard of the decrepit condition of the gates and walls of Jerusalem, he wept but then he prayed.  Nehemiah asked the Lord for success and kindness.  God, who has knows all and “reads all the rooms” before we enter is about to answer Nehemiah’s prayer for help.

God began by giving the king the ability to notice the “look” on Nehemiah’s face!

Nehemiah 2

Artaxerxes Sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem

In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brough t for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, ² so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”

I was very much afraid, ³ but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”

⁴ The king said to me, “What is it you want?”

Then I prayed to the God of heaven, ⁵ and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”

⁶ Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.

⁷ I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? ⁸ And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests. ⁹ So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.

¹⁰ When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.

Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls

¹¹ I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days ¹² I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.

¹³ By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. ¹⁴ Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; ¹⁵ so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. ¹⁶ The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.

¹⁷ Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” ¹⁸ I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.

They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.

¹⁹ But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”

²⁰ I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Nehemiah prayed to God while weeping over God’s people.  God heard and He answered.  God gave Nehemiah favor from the king he served! In fact, Nehemiah’s answer is coming before he expected it to be answered!  The king sees Nehemiah’s look of distress and inquires of him first!  So when the King asks what is needed; Nehemiah, maybe flustered a bit, prays again before telling the king.  Ah, friends if only we would learn to pray first before speaking; we would avoid a lot of troubling miscommunications with others, right? Nehemiah is one who prays to seek the Lord’s wisdom and help before doing anything of significance.  God’s Son did that, too!  How beautiful it is when God’s people asked for God’s help first before jumping—to human plans, ministry projects, along with jumping to conclusions of what we think others think!  Prayer is vital in our walk with God who is our Life Source!

Max Lucado writes; “When God says to pray, he really means it. To pray is the most commonly mentioned command in Scripture. It is mentioned more than “love your neighbor,” more than “go to church,” and more than “evangelize.” More than anything else, God calls us to pray.

We should be people of great prayer. We should be prayer warriors. We should be people who use the ministry of prayer to its fullest capacity. The highest and greatest calling of Christians is the ministry of prayer.” –Lucado, Encouraging Word Bible

The story of God continues in succeeding chapters of the Nehemiah Diaries. There is much to learn! King Artaxerxes surprised Nehemiah, His Cupbearer who the king trusts, with permission to travel to Jerusalem, with materials to rebuild the walls of the city! Opposition from the surrounding enemy nations, has caught wind of God’s plan to rebuild. Lessons will be learned with how to deal with those who oppose.  But, for now, Nehemiah inspects the damage to assess the work and materials needed to begin the reconstruction. The hand of God is on Nehemiah and he knows it! God called Nehemiah to the task and then empowered him to do it. Where God guides; He provides!  We learn that we can trust in God to help us accomplish His will.

How then will we respond when God calls us to a specific task? I hope our first response is to pray to God first; then do what He says.  It’s not as complicated as humans make it out to be.

Lord,

Even today, in my mundane sustain chores of life, lead me. May my first response be of you, seeking your wisdom, relying on your strength, while leaning on your everlasting arms of love and support.  May your will be done.

In Jesus Name, Amen