God is, by his very nature, good. God cares for his Creation, and cares for us. God especially delights to care for his covenant people. He does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men. The longer we go through life, and see the evidence of God’s goodness in our lives, the more we start to understand this truth spread throughout Scripture.
For Nehemiah, writing his memoirs, he learned of God’s good hand in very dramatic circumstances. Saddened by the state of Jerusalem’s walls, Nehemiah’s prayers seemed to go unanswered. Until, in the Persian King’s presence, they were answered in a terrifying and amazing way. Nehemiah’s story shows us God’s good hand at play in his life. His recognition teaches us to see God’s goodness to us as well, as give praise and honour to him.
In Chapter 1 we were introduced to Nehemiah as a man of prayer. Confronted by the defenceless state of Jerusalem, Nehemiah turned to the Lord in prayer. He acknowledged both the sinfulness of God’s people (and their just judgement), but also God’s goodness and promises to them. Nehemiah prayed that God would answer his prayer for the restoration of Jerusalem’s walls.
I bet Nehemiah had no idea he was about to be the answer to his own prayers. Yet that is what happened, according to God’s goodness. Four months of prayer later, Nehemiah as cupbearer to the King “took up the wine and gave it to the king” (v.1).
Previously he had managed to wear his face in front of the king, but on this day the mask slipped. “And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid” (v.2). Pro tip – do not appear sad in front of a despot when your job requires you to look happy.
Since Nehemiah was not involved in palace intrigue, he spoke plainly to the king. “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” (v.3)
The king, moved by God, was surprisingly receptive to Nehemiah. Instead of ordering him thrown in jail or worse, he asked “What are you requesting?” (v.4)
Nehemiah, with the sort of short prayer asking for help and the right words which we fire away in God’s direction right before we commit ourselves (v.4), then responded to the king. “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ graves, that I may rebuild it.” (v.5)
Now that was a bold request! Yet backed by his short prayer to God, he hoped that he might be the answer to his own prayer. Have you ever found yourself in that situation? Watch out when you pray, because you might just find that the case!
Perhaps Nehemiah had given thought to the possibility he might be the answer, because when the king asked how long he would be away to do this, Nehemiah’s answer found favour (v.6).
What followed then were logistics. Nehemiah would need letters from the king authorising his journey and authority as governor (v.7), and letters to Asaph who kept the king’s forests to give him the timber he would need as part of the reconstruction efforts (v.8).
All this, the king provided to Nehemiah. Why? “For the good hand of my God was upon me” (v.8).
It was only with the benefit of hindsight that Nehemiah would have been able to write that. As the king saw his gloomy face and commented in a way which could have spelled doom, Nehemiah’s heart would have been in his mouth.
Yet the whole situation was God’s answer to Nehemiah’s prayer. Perhaps in a way that he did not think would happen (although he must have considered the possibilities at some point). But most definitely the good hand of God upon Nehemiah, and for God’s good purposes.
While you might not have to face a despotic king, this scenario might be something you have experienced. Recent events in my own life have felt like a whirlwind answer to prayer in a way I did not quite expect. So too, God might answer prayers in your own life in a way which you did not quite anticipate.
Nehemiah’s instinct to pray in that situation is one which is solid advice for us too. What can we do in these situations but throw a quick prayer to the Lord for the right words to say at that time, and trust in him?
We can trust in him, because God’s good hand has been shown through the Son entering the world as our Saviour, dying for our sins. Because Christ reconciled us to God, we experience God’s good hand in our lives in expected and unexpected ways, as he guides us through life.