Nehemiah 2:1-3
‘And it came about in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and I picked up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. So the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, though you are not ill? This is nothing but sadness of heart.” Then I was very much afraid. And I said to the king, “May the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad when the city, the site of my fathers’ tombs, is desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?”’
Nehemiah is grieved. He had learned that his people back in Jerusalem are in a bad way. The walls had been torn down and the people are vulnerable. He wept and mourned for days. He is in this state when today’s scene happens. Personally, he is discouraged. However, it’s time to go to work. He’s the cup bearer to the king. His job is to taste all the food first to verify that it’s not poisonous. He is also in the kings presence much. He’s one of his confidences. In one sense he may be an advisor. I would also assume he’s quite smart with a personality that would be a enjoyable to the king. He would enjoy seeing him to hear what clever thing he may say.
I would also assume Nehemiah made a choice for the king to see his sadness to use his position to help those back in Jerusalem. However, it’s risky. Here he is bringing his problems and concerns to the king. That wasn’t done. The king wasn’t to be burdened with the troubles of the help. This could have gotten him fired or worse.
This reminds me of Esther’s dilemma. Haman had devised a plot to exterminate the jews. She was the queen. Her uncle told her to inform the king of this. She hesitated. Then the uncle said that it may be for this moment she was born and put into this position. She agreed to go to the king and bring this up. This also wasn’t done. She wasn’t to go to the king without being invited. The initiation had to begin with the king. She risked banishment or death. Nehemiah also may have been born and elevated for this time.
These are both high stakes situations. It is doubtful that we would have such weighty choices before us. Most of us don’t have the gifting that would put us in such high positions. Our situations would be more fitting with who we are. For us they are significant. The stress we feel may be comparable to what they felt.
These may be once in a lifetime situations. However, we will encounter many lower level opportunities. It may be meeting a person for the one and only time in which God wants us to share something. Others may be relationships that God gave us to pour into.
These times can be risky. Our job might be affected. A relationship may be damaged. We have to be as certain as possible. Like Nehemiah, we need to spend time in prayer.
These times require boldness. We are to pray for that. Here’s Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 6:19, “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel”. That’s a good prayer, “God give us Your words and give us boldness to speak them.” Help us not to let those opportunities pass.
Thank Your, God, for the examples of Nehemiah and Esther. Help us to rise to these occasions.