Graceways October 5 Devotional
October 05, 2024
NEHEMIAH 1:1-4 | 1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. In the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, 2 one of my brothers, Hanani, came with certain men from Judah, and I asked them about the Jews who escaped, those who had survived the captivity, and about Jerusalem. 3 They replied, “The remnant there in the province who escaped captivity are in great trouble and shame; the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been destroyed by fire.” 4 When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
Nehemiah had a secure and powerful role in Babylon. He was cupbearer to the king. This was more than a royal bus boy! Cupbearers tasted the food to be served to the king, but were also intimate advisors and confidants. The position entailed considerable influence and generous compensation. Yet, we note Nehemiah’s reaction to the news of the desperate situation of his fellow Israelites in Jerusalem. He sits down, weeps, mourns, and prays “for days.”
His wealth and influence could have insulated him from the suffering of others, which he could have ignored. After all, he had important work in Babylon and Jerusalem was a long way away. Yet, he felt more than passive empathy for the plight of his fellow Israelites—his heart broke.
Does your heart break over the things that make God weep?
Gracious God,
Don’t let my own advantages in life isolate me from the pain and suffering of others. Give me an active empathy.
Amen.
