There is a story about Hudson Taylor as a young man. For many years, he questioned the reality of God and what he believed. Yet, despite the darkness that enveloped his soul, behind the scenes was a mother fervently praying for many years. Persistently she even dedicated one afternoon praying for him while visiting her sister 45-miles away. She knew by the end of that afternoon the Holy Spirit had claimed her son’s soul. On that same afternoon, back home tucked in a hideaway, Hudson invited Jesus Christ to come into his life at nineteen years old after reading a Bible tract. When mother and son reunited two weeks later, he couldn’t even get the words out that he had become a Christian before his mother shared that she already knew because the Holy Spirit revealed it to her. Hudson was in shock! Later on it was said of this famous missionary, “that the sun never rose over China, but it didn’t find him in prayer.”
Help Our Unbelief
When it comes to prayer, most of us would say that we trust God and obey what He commands of us. However, I think where most of us struggle is in our persistence, which is, at the core, unbelief. If you think I’m off here, let me ask you this: When issues arise, do you first go to your phone or the throne? How much, be honest, is spent in actual persistent prayer? I’m not talking about the prayer before a meal or while driving in the car kind of prayer. But an intimate, be still, carved out time where it’s just you and God.
Somehow, we have it in our minds that more power lies there on the other end of that phone, whether it be a physical person or social media. And naturally so, since they are “real” to us. We may subconsciously even believe the professional or biblical counselor can help us more. But ladies, this is not true. If we are to see the great Master at work in our lives, families, and communities around us, we must cultivate a life of persistent, believing prayer.
Nehemiah’s Persistence
Let’s briefly glimpse Nehemiah’s prayer life. In Chapters 1-2, we see his response to bad news, view of God’s character, confession of sin, call of remembrance, which later calls him to action.
When news comes back from Jerusalem about the devastation that has occurred there, we see Nehemiah’s great distress, “when I heard these words, I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven” (1:4). I don’t know about you, but how much can we relate today as we continue to hear bad news: Afghanistan, abortion, racial violence, vaccine mandates, the list goes on. In his grief, Nehemiah immediately goes to the only trustworthy source that can do anything at all. He knows the power does not lie within himself, anyone else, or political agenda for that matter.
In vs. 5-6, he continues to pour out his soul, “I pray, LORD God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments, please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that you may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night.” He proclaims that God is great, declares His awesomeness, and cries out to the merciful One who hears. Leaning upon the strong character of God is what carries Nehemiah.
Next, Nehemiah proceeds to confess sin. He states, “…and we confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my Father’s house and I have sinned. We have acted corruptly against You, and have not kept Your commandments.” This is not only on behalf of the nation of Israel but also on a personal level. There is no denying ladies that we “wrestle against principalities, against powers, the darkness of this age, and against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12), but there is also the enemy within—our sin. All the more why we run to our great High Priest, Jesus Christ, who alone cleanses us from all sin and showers us with His mercy.
Lastly, we see Nehemiah’s call to remembrance, which causes him to act. He remembers God’s faithfulness in the past to bring the Israelites out of Egypt and pleas for God to reactivate, “…but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them…yet I will gather and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name” (vs. 8-9). Later on, “let Your servant prosper this day, I pray and grant him mercy in the sight of this man for I was the king’s cupbearer” (v. 11). Because of Nehemiah’s boldness and courage, the king grants his requests, and miraculously God “raises him [& others] up and sets their hands to this good work” (2:18). They rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, despite MUCH opposition!!
Kingdom Work
As we consider the examples above, we see ordinary people who lived a life of persistent, believing prayer. It’s as if this is the essential core of who they were, as it should be with us.
Ladies, I promise you that our faithful God is infinitely more real than anything else. If you desire to grow in your belief, then put away whatever distracts you and commit to building a life of formal prayer. There is no miraculous formula or perfect set time. Just be intentional to make time. Strive to be a persistent & consistent woman of prayer, and watch the miracles (big and small) He will unfold before you. Our God is at work in every detail of our lives if we pay attention. Don’t let the darkness of the news cloud your worship and vision. There is Kingdom work still to do, so let’s keep at it!
