Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 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.” (Nehemiah 2:4)

One thing we can take away from Nehemiah 2 is Nehemiah’s prayerful response when faced with an opportunity. When the king came to Nehemiah and asked what he desired, he was given a wide-open door to walk through. He was burdened with sadness for his people, and his heart’s desire was to help them rebuild their city. Even after waiting for an opportunity and prayerfully watching for the right time, Nehemiah still paused to pray before making his request. With the Lord’s guidance, he asked the king to let him return to Judah to rebuild it.

What we perceive as waiting may actually be the Lord setting the pieces into place. Whether it’s placing the right people in the right place, preparing minds and hearts, or setting the road ahead, God’s timing is always right when He is leading the plan. And we get to be in on that plan! The story of Nehemiah encourages us to get in on what God is doing, and it starts with Nehemiah being prayerful about how to enter into that plan. We can move with confidence when we’re in on what God is in on.

• What is something the Lord has placed on your heart, similar to the burden Nehemiah felt for Judah?
• Examine your heart before the Lord. Is prayer your first inclination when you are faced with a decision? If not, why?
• What opportunities has the Lord placed before you today or this week that you can prayerfully seek His guidance on?