Shotgun Prayers

OT: Nehemiah 2
NT: Acts 7:32-38

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Nehemiah 2:1-5 — In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before; so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.” I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it."

Not all prayers have to be eloquent. Not all take deep thought and meaningful time. In fact, some of the greatest prayers in history have come spur of the moment and been brief -- very brief. Just looking at the Bible, you see Stephen, the good deacon, who in Acts 7 lifted his eyes towards heaven as he was being stoned and said all of 12 words. Nehemiah, here in today's selection, probably didn;t even have time for three words, let alone 12! The king of Persia, Artaxerxes, with his queen at his side (perhaps Esther) had asked the cupbearer why he was downcast. Nehemiah answered truthfully, "My ancestral city of Jerusalem lies in ruins with no gates." Most of us would answer, "Nothing. I'm fine," just to avoid a conversation. But Nehemiah has a solid relationship with the great king. The king then asks Nehemiah the type of question that usually leads to "shotgun prayers." He asked, "What do you want?"

Here's the thing about shotgun prayers. They are never planned, never long, and never dishonest. They are moments in time in which your heart immediately calls on God for help or responds to Him in praise. Many times they come right before a important conversation -- or before an important answer. Nehemiah had to say a quick one because when the king asks a question, it's best to not delay in answering him! So Nehemiah answered with boldness: I want to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls. A bold request, indeed! He was asking to be released from his position as the king's most trusted servant to travel to a foreign land and fortify a foreign capital! Xerxes must have really bonded with Nehemiah, because the great king let him go with a royal blessing and with political authority. All it took was a shotgun prayer to give Nehemiah the boldness to ask for what he gladly received. If it helped Nehemiah to turn to the Lord in an instant, what's keeping you and me from doing the same?

Be God's.