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Sample PackNehemiah's Prayer: Connecting With God
And I said, “O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants.. — Nehemiah 1:5-6
Over the next few days, we will dive a little deeper into the four C.O.R.E. elements of Nehemiah's prayer.
- Connecting With God.
- Owning Our Sin.
- Recalling God’s Faithfulness.
- Entrusting Our Plans.
Nehemiah’s prayer begins with him making a Connection with God. It's a proclamation of three powerful things. First, God's awesomeness. Second, God's covenant. Third, God's love. This is the focus of his praise. In other words, he praises God before he asks him for a single thing.
We might be prone to pass over this initial connection, but don't dismiss the effect of these three things prayed daily over months. Just think how a prayer started this way repeatedly would have altered his heart, mind, and soul about the reach of God's capabilities, promises, and compassion. Like us, I assume there were times Nehemiah questioned one or many of these things. Thus, these three proclamations probably had moments that they became truths he preached to the untruths burning deep within his soul.
This is where every prayer should begin for the leader. It should start with us presenting our ever-changing hearts, minds, and souls to the unchanging God. So try it today. Ask God for the one thing you wrote down yesterday. But before you ask him, spend just a few minutes in praise. Praise his name first. I put a song for you below. Listen to it. Preach it to your soul. Connect with God and his awesomeness, promises, and love. Then, once the song is done, ask God for that one thing.
ASK THIS:
Reflect on your own prayer life. How often do you start your prayers with a focus on God's attributes, such as His awesomeness, covenant, and love, as Nehemiah did?
How might consciously incorporating these elements of praise and acknowledgment change the nature and experience of your prayers?
Consider a challenging situation or decision you are currently facing. How can you apply Nehemiah's "Connecting With God" approach in your prayer regarding this situation?
Discuss or reflect on how shifting your focus in prayer to these elements might alter your perspective and emotional state regarding the challenge.
DO THIS: Play the song below, then pray.
PRAY THIS: Father, I acknowledge Your magnificent greatness, Your faithful covenant, and Your unending love as I lay my heart open before You; guide me in my journey, aligning my thoughts, actions, and desires with Your divine will and purpose. Amen.
PLAY THIS: This Is Our God.
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Good Word. We are always asking but seldom are we expressing daily and almost hourly gratitude! Thank you for the reminder and exciting to me doing this with four brothers so we can encourage one another!
We do need to start with God first. I start my prayers with thanksgiving to the Lord and recount the blessings I can see in my life, then I (try) humbly to ask for my petition and request. Your will Lord not mine.
I share this as an encouragement to you and a testimony to God’s faithfulness when we act as Nehemiah did. In October of ’22, we met with a part-time prison chaplain to discuss the possibility of starting a new ministry at his prison. We were met with an unwelcome spirit and roadblocks because of the type of music we worship to and the translation of the Bible we teach out of (NIV, NLT). Our team agreed to pray and fast over this situation and asked God to either change the heart of this chaplain or move him out. This past September, this chaplain resigned, and a new chaplain was hired. As our team met with the new chaplain and the prison administration to plan our ministry start-up, one of the Asst. Wardens asked if we would consider planting a new church inside the prison. This prison is a re-entry prison where these inmates will be moving back into our communities after their release. Wow, not only were we going to start a new ministry, but we were also going to plant a new church where these inmates would have a church home when they were released back into society. Our first service was two weeks ago, and God is already blessing us with men who are worshiping and seeking God for a new beginning as they are released from prison. Guys, God is so faithful and will do “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.”
“With those who love AND observe Your commandments!” One can love and NOT observe! Were it NOT for Jesus, all of us were doomed for eternal separation from our Great and Awesome God and Father! Men, observe His Word without compromise! His covenant promises WILL follow!
Psalm of Gratitude
Verse 1:
In the hallowed light of dawn,
Where morning sun doth gently yawn,
Let praises rise, O sons of Earth,
For grace and mercy of heavenly birth.
Chorus:
Hallelujah, voices raise,
In humble awe, we sing thy praise.
Creator, Sustainer, O Divine,
In gratitude, our souls entwine.
Verse 2:
Upon the mount, where cedars stand,
Rejoice, rejoice, across the land.
His majesty in nature’s art,
A symphony that fills the heart.
Chorus:
Hallelujah, voices raise,
In humble awe, we sing thy praise.
Redeemer, Shepherd, guiding Light,
In reverence, our spirits take flight.
Verse 3:
Beneath the moon, in quiet night,
Stars declare His grand design.
The universe, a cosmic song,
Resounds the truth, forever strong.
Chorus:
Hallelujah, voices raise,
In humble awe, we sing thy praise.
Savior, Comforter, ever near,
In thankfulness, we hold Thee dear.
Verse 4:
Through trials deep, and valleys low,
Thy grace sustains, Thy mercies flow.
In shadows dark, Thy love abides,
A refuge sure, where hope resides.
Chorus:
Hallelujah, voices raise,
In humble awe, we sing thy praise.
Alpha, Omega, Beginning and End,
In adoration, our spirits blend.
Verse 5:
When tempests rage, and oceans roar,
Thy presence calms the stormy shore.
With grateful hearts, we stand amazed,
By the wondrous love that cannot be phased.
Chorus:
Hallelujah, voices raise,
In humble awe, we sing thy praise.
Ancient of Days, Eternal One,
In worship true, Thy will be done.
Outro:
In every breath, in every song,
To Thee, our praise and thanks belong.
For in Thy love, our souls find rest,
Forevermore, by grace we’re blessed.
A Psalm I wrote for class
Beautiful words, brother Isaiah! Thanks for sharing!
This is how Jesus taught the disciples to pray. “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be your name.”
Start with praise.
Amen. I had the same thought as I was reading todays devo. I can enjoy the Lords prayer repeated verbatim but I also see it as an example or model to fashion our prayer after in our own life and words and situations. May God bless your day and as he has already blessed mine, join me today in praising His name!