DISASTER!

Can you remember these images from Haiti following the earthquke? The city was burned. The buildings were crumbled. There was great distress and people wandering aimlessly, not sure where to turn or what to do. No clean water. Dead bodies on the ground. Babies and children sitting alone without parents.

Nehemiah had just heard of similar trouble being brought on Jerusalem.

"Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace.

The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire."

Chapter 1, v. 3

Sounds like Haiti doesn't it?  Burned. Crumbled. Distress. Disgrace.

Nehemiah was a great leader. He was impassioned, organized, had sound resolve and trust in God. He was quick, unselfish, and determined in his response to problems. So, what did Nehemiah do in the face of such a major crisis? Call in the Red Cross? Make a trip to Jerusalem to evaluate the damage? Send money via text message?

"When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days, I mourned and fasted

and prayed before God of heaven."

v. 4

Nehemiah prayed! He made a speed dial call to his God. His Lord and Savior. He didn't act without first going to his boss. To his supervisor. To the one who held the ansswers. There was no Red Cross. There wasn't a ship of doctors to send. There weren't relief concerts. There was the Lord!

Now, this wasn't a quick call to God by any means. There wasn't a ten minute pow-wow session. No email response to the problem at hand. Nehemiah wept and fasted and prayed FOR DAYS! He was on his knees, crying out to our Lord. Asking for direction. Asking for help. Reminding Him of His glory and promises for His people. And, he did this before taking any action. Wept, fasted, prayed!

There was a method to his prayer too...verses 5-11 tell us that Nehemiah's talk with God included four things...

• Praise & Worship
• Confession of his personal sin and the sins of his people
• Reminder to God of His promises to them.
• Asking boldly for deliverance and help.

This is a pattern in the prayer life of great leaders...Billy Graham, Spurgeon, Sproles...they all pray this way...they all are spiritual giants for God! None of these men would go before God without giving Him honor and praise, without confessing sin, without reminding Him of the promises he laid out for us and without having enough boldness to believe in what He promised! And I would venture to say that most of our spiritual giants would not react without first spending some deep, committed time in prayer with their Lord and Savior!

Today....the images of Haiti have left CNN. Anderson Cooper has come home. The concerts have stopped. The text messaging of money has subsided. And yet, there are those personal earthquakes in our own lives....broken relationships, cancer, death, job loss, new opportunities to decide upon...

How will we respond?

Dear Lord,
Help me respond with praise, confession, promises and boldness to the situations in my life today. Help me stop and pray Lord before taking any action. Help me spend quality, long term time with you to hear your voice and see your face! Dear Lord, might you be my Red Cross!