Good morning! The New Year is in motion. Today is the 2nd day of 2024. With 364 more days to go, I thought I would share the first chapter of the book of Nehemiah to help us prepare for the days ahead. Enjoy today’s devotion and prayer.

Bible Verse- Nehemiah 1:1-11 NLT

“1 These are the memoirs of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah.

Nehemiah’s Concern for Jerusalem

In late autumn, in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign,^[a] I was at the fortress of Susa. ² Hanani, one of my brothers, came to visit me with some other men who had just arrived from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had returned there from captivity and about how things were going in Jerusalem.

³ They said to me, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”

⁴ When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven. ⁵ Then I said,

“O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, ⁶ listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! ⁷ We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses.

⁸ “Please remember what you told your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. ⁹ But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth,^[b] I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.’

¹⁰ “The people you rescued by your great power and strong hand are your servants. ¹¹ O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me.^[c] Put it into his heart to be kind to me.”

Recap

Nehemiah was a man who simply had a concern and asked a question. The responses that he received:

• Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah.
• They are in great trouble and disgrace.
• The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire

led him to weep. In fact, the verses say “I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.”

Nehemiah’s heart was broken and disturbed by what he had heard. However, in the midst of it all he prayed to the God of heaven to give him favor to address the matter.

Reflection

Sisters and brothers, as we begin this year we know there are many concerns and questions we have or will have. There will be things within our control and other things that we will need to leave to God to care for. In the midst of it all, whether it is mourning for days, weeping for nights, laughter for seasons or joy that comes in the morning let us remain focused in prayer. As we pray, let us listen intently the voice of God and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us to do things that will bring glory and honor to Him. Let us be bold in our prayers for our families, for our communities, our nation, and the world. Let us be bold enough to ask and hear what is going on and ask God for favor and direction to help bring about change. We know that it will not be be easy, but we can always trust that God’s sovereign plan will prevail.

Question: Lord, what would you like for us to do in 2024? ______

Prayer

Father God, we thank you for allowing us to see and experience this new year. Some people brought in the new year with great joy and anticipation, and others had other things pressing on their hearts- but we are here. Lord, you know the needs of your people. You have gifted each one of us with spiritual gifts to accomplish all that you desire for us on this earth. Lord, use us and our spiritual gifts to live out Your mission and purpose for our lives and the lives of others each day this year. Speak to us, give us a heart that is aligned with Yours, and give us a spirit that is obedient to You and Your guidance. Lord, refresh us and prepare us for today. Give us favor with the people we come across today. Lead us in ways that we cannot doubt your presence or leadership in our conversations or actions.

Lord, we pray for those who are sick (temporarily, chronically, or terminally). Lord, You are the ultimate healer and we ask that you place Your loving hand upon them, begin /complete Your healing process, and make them whole. Lord, touch physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, and all the other medical professionals today. Lord, give them rest, refresh their minds, and renew their spirits. Equip them with the wisdom they need to do their jobs well, and sustain them with compassion and love for those they encounter throughout the day.

Lord, we pray for those who desire to make a difference in this world, those who are looking for opportunities to create new business plans, those who understand their purpose, and those who are still praying for you to reveal their purpose to them. Lord, unveil our eyes to see what you desire for us. Lord, open our hearts and remove all of our fears as we move forward, and seek You each day.

Lord, return hearts back to you. Draw us closer to You, remove any spirit of rebellion we have against you and your plans for us. Lord, we give you 2024 and we thank you for allowing us to be a part of what this year will bring. Lord we know you will not leave or abandon us, but let us always feel your presence and remind us that You are with us. In Jesus name, amen.

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