“Remember in My Favor, O My God”
14-16 From the time King Artaxerxes appointed me as their governor in the land of Judah—from the twentieth to the thirty-second year of his reign, twelve years—neither I nor my brothers used the governor’s food allowance. Governors who had preceded me had oppressed the people by taxing them forty shekels of silver (about a pound) a day for food and wine while their underlings bullied the people unmercifully. But out of fear of God I did none of that. I had work to do; I worked on this wall. All my men were on the job to do the work. We didn’t have time to line our own pockets.
17-18 I fed 150 Jews and officials at my table in addition to those who showed up from the surrounding nations. One ox, six choice sheep, and some chickens were prepared for me daily, and every ten days a large supply of wine was delivered. Even so, I didn’t use the food allowance provided for the governor—the people had it hard enough as it was.
19 Remember in my favor, O my God,
Everything I’ve done for these people.
Everything I’ve done for these people.
My Lord, I am wanting to listen to your voice, speaking to me directly through your words each day. Use the example of Nehemiah to teach me how to love the people of God out of fear of God. Nehemiah gave up his right to demand food and wine from the people but rather supplied the people's needs. Nehemiah's courage, faith, justice, and compassion flowed out of his fear of God. My Father God, give me a heart of fear of God like that of Nehemiah. Help me to pray like that of Nehemiah, "Remember me, O my God that I pursue after you, offer to you, and do for your name's sake. Bless me that I grow like Nehemiah, having the courage, faith, and compassion for your works and your people. Give me your vision that I follow without reservation. Give me the perseverance that I keep on doing your works. Give me ears that I listen to your words. Give me faith to follow in the midst of challenges and oppositions from the enemies, knowing that You are my God and you intend to bless me that I can become blessings to others."
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