Nehemiah 1.5-11.
In the ’00s
Of course God can’t be reduced to formulas. And
Basically do X, and now God owes us Y. And no, he doesn’t work like that.
To help this idea sink in a little, I remind you of the Prayer of Nehemiah, offered by Nekhémya bar Khakálya right after he heard what a mess Jerusalem still was.
Nehemiah 1.5-11 KWL - 5 I said, “Please L
ORD , God of heaven, great God, - scary covenant-keeper, lover of those who love you and keep your commands:
- 6 May your ear now be attentive, your eyes open, to hear your slave’s prayer,
- which I pray to your face daily and nightly over Israel’s descendants, your slaves:
- I confess the sins Israel’s descendants sinned against you.
- I and my father’s house sinned.
- 7 We hurt, hurt you,
- and didn’t keep the commands, decrees, and rulings you sent your slave Moses.
- 8 Now remember the word you sent your slave Moses, saying,
- ‘When you trespass, I’ll scatter you among the nations.
- 9 Return to me, keep my commands, do them,
- and even if you’re exiled to the heavens’ edge, I’ll gather you from there,
- and return you to the place I chose where my name dwells.’
- 10 They’re your slaves, your people whom you rescued with your great strength and strong hand.
- 11 Please Master, have a listening ear for your slave’s prayer,
- for your slaves’ prayer—we who wish to respect your name.
- Please grant your slave success today.
- Give me compassion before this man’s face”—
- for I was the Persian king’s butler.
Though Nehemiah didn’t neatly sum it up as did the author of Chronicles,