Hope for Each New Day

The gracious hand of God was on me. Nehemiah 2:8

Nehemiah was an amazing man! He served as cupbearer to Artaxerxes, king of Persia. Upon receiving word that the walls of his beloved city of Jerusalem were in ruin and unable to protect the sanctuary that Ezra had rebuilt, he asked permission to return to Jerusalem and oversee a rebuilding project. The book of Nehemiah is a history of that rebuilding. As one proceeds through his book, one can’t help but notice Nehemiah’s nearness to God. It’s as if he and God were best friends. So, too, Nehemiah’s prayers were part of everyday life like breathing. Today’s snippet gives thanks to God for moving the king to allow his return. How many times have you said those same words? How many times can you remember that the gracious hand of God was on you? How many times have you thanked God for that blessing?

A word of wisdom for a sticky note:

“To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing?” Martin Luther

Today my prayer includes . . .

thanks for this special blessing:

concern for this special person:

petition for this special problem:

 A closing verse:

I’m re­joic­ing night and day
As I walk the nar­row way,
For the hand of God in all my life I see.
And the rea­son of my bliss,
Yes, the sec­ret all is this:
That the Com­fort­er abides with me.

Herbert E. Buffum

From Hope for Each New Day by Reynold R. Kremer