How do you respond when something of yours gets broken? A while ago, I purchased a new cell phone, and the next day I accidentally fell on it, cracking the screen. I can tell you I felt irritated and angry! Sound familiar? But when something much more important—like a relationship, our home, our heart or our body gets broken or damaged—our frustration may turn to dismay; anger can evolve into outrage. Deep loss results in mourning.
Nehemiah was an exiled Jew who served as cupbearer to King Artaxerxes in the Persian capital of Susa. When he heard the report about his fellow Jews—broken survivors of the exile—and about the broken walls of Jerusalem, his heart broke as well. His initial reaction was of grief and mourning, but soon those turned to fasting and prayer to the God of heaven. Nehemiah’s prayer offers us a model response to brokenness: remember that God is love; repent of your sin; remind yourself of His covenant promises; request His wisdom and guidance for your part in healing the brokenness.