Daily Devotion

Read: Nehemiah 1:1 - 2:20

Then I said to the king, “...I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors’ graves, so that I may rebuild it.” Nehemiah 2:5

Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the King Artaxerxes of Persia. Nehemiah learned that his native city of Jerusalem was in ruins with its great wall no more than a heap of rubble. With an aggrieved heart, Nehemiah prayed to God, and in prayer he was moved by God to ask the king for permission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah was not a mason, he was not a leader, he was not even living in Jerusalem—he was simply the person who brought the king his wine cup when it was requested. Nehemiah may not have had the skill set to rebuild much of anything, but he was in the position to make it happen. Nehemiah made his request, permission was granted, and rebuilding ensued.