Prepare for the challenge ahead with mourning, fasting, and prayer

Prepare for the challenge ahead with mourning, fasting, and prayer
S - Neh 1:3-4 (KJV)

3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire. 4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

O - Nehemiah's heart for God's people and God's promised land is what drives his passion to do something. Today I begin a journey of studying the leader, project manager, and man of God that Nehemiah is. My desire is to learn from Nehemiah what it means to be a inspiring leader and project manager, whom God can use to build His Kingdom. These first verses set the tone for us, by which the lead character Nehemiah begins building his own personal "Holy Discontent" as he hear's the news of the wall's of Jerusalem have been broken down and gate's burned. From the historical context this appears to be a recent event, as the Israelites had returned from exile and given permission to rebuild the temple and Jerusalem, their enemies where taking advantage of their weakened state to attack them putting those who had returned in "great affliction and reproach.

A - The application for me is to catch first the heart of Nehemiah to first sit down weep, mourn, fast, and pray. These are marks of a Godly man, a leader, to example the behavior Jesus affirmed in the Beatitudes - blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Our response to trouble and trials is often one of two things - fear and flight, anger and fight. Neither one is consistent with Godly leaders of the bible, who all often first chose to mourn, fast, and pray when faced with a tragedy or trial. David perhaps exampled this best, during his rise and even in his kingship over the nation of Israel.

P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for allowing me to sit at your feet, and the feet of men of God who have done extraordinary things in your Kingdom. I pray Lord that you would help cement today's lesson to my heart, that I might take the "Holy discontent" that you have planted in me, and remind me to mourn, fast, and pray for your guidance, strength, and wisdom to act according to your will and not mine. I pray that you continue to reveal to me gems from Nehemiah, so that I might apply it to my own life. I pray all this in Jesus name, amen.