Desires that stir God's business men and women to action, find their source in delighting in the Lord.

Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart."

To "delight", is to find great pleasure and joy in the Lord, and in His presence. This produces His desires in us, which can become realities in our lives. So it was with Nehemiah - he desired what was the mind of the Lord, and he was fully committed to the Lord.

Nehemiah 1:1 "The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah ..."

The book opens with the title: "The words", which claims the writing to be the memoirs of Nehemiah. The way in which he shared his heart, shows him to be a man of God. The evil man's desires are expressed in vices (Galatians 5:16-23 ), while the spiritual man's desires are expressed in virtues (Galatians 5:22-24 ). Living in obedience to the Holy Spirit's instructions, develops the beauty of the character of Jesus in us, creating desires in us, to please the Lord in actions of faith and service.

Nehemiah was sought out by his brother Hanani (Nehemiah 7:2 ), and he and his companions told about the conditions in Jerusalem, and its broken wall and burned gates. The news-carriers came in the month of Chislev (Nov-Dec) to the fortress at Shushan, the winter retreat of Persian monarchs.

Nehemiah was occupied in his high position of trust and honour. In verse 11 we read that he was the cup-bearer to the king. His position and reputation made him the most natural choice to receive news about Jerusalem. This report stirred desires in Nehemiah, as a believing Israelite, to become actively involved on behalf of God and the people He loved.

Communication causes realistic desires to be formulated into positive goals. The need to know is essential to serving. That is how God's business gets done.

Nehemiah 1:4 "And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,"

Nehemiah "heard", "sat down", "wept and mourned", "fasted and prayed". This describes his passion and concern. When God's business men and women have their hearts filled with the Lord's compassion for the needs of others, through the desires impregnating them, they have already begun to work for God.

From Nehemiah's prayer we learn that he had a contrite spirit.

Isaiah 57:15 "For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.""

The meaning of the original word for "contrite", is "crushed".

Strong says "Lit. powder. Fig. contrite".

The contrite willingly submits to the destruction of that within him, which is not pleasing to the Lord. The action of the Holy Spirit is to revive and renew such a humble spirit. The contrite spirit is open to correction by the Holy Spirit, and is willing to confess what is below the Lord's standard. It is willing to crush what is not of Him.

This kind of spirit is yielded to the Holy Spirit, to be readjusted and repaired. Desires flowing out of a contrite spirit are to the glory of God. Nehemiah's prayer is an explicit example of the prayer of a contrite heart.

Nehemiah 1:5 "I pray, LORD God of heaven, O great and awesome God ..."

"God of heaven" was a favourite expression of Nehemiah. It was used in recognition of supreme majesty. He is above all others, He is the great and awesome God, and the Lord God, i.e. the God of covenant.

When God is turned to in His supremacy and sovereignty, the biggest problems shrink into insignificant smallness. The contrite spirit is not filled with self-sufficiency, but with dependency on God, who is sufficient.

Nehemiah 1:5 "... You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments,"

Answers are not withheld from those practicing faithful love to God. They are certainly not withheld from those who keep covenant with God, by honouring and keeping His Word. The contrite spirit retains no rival to the Lord in devotion and obedience, and is therefore the recipient of the Lord's mercy and grace. The contrite spirit can come to God with all outspokenness, and not be turned away.

Nehemiah 1:6 "... which I pray before You now, day and night, ..."

Nehemiah began praying in Nov-Dec, and continued until Mar-April: four months (Nehemiah 1:1 - Nehemiah 2:1: Chislev to Nisan).

The contrite spirit does not know about naming a matter once before the Lord - it persists and prevails (Luke 18:1 ).

Nehemiah 1:6 "... Both my father's house and I have sinned."

The contrite spirit of intercession confesses in a corporate and a personal way, that sin has been committed against God. Sin is an affront to God, and deals corruptly against God (Nehemiah 1:7 ). The contrite spirit recognises disobedience to God's Word and command, and owns up to it, acclaiming God's holiness and righteous dealings.

Nehemiah 1:8 "Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, ..."

The contrite spirit of Nehemiah was saturated in the Word of God, and this poured forth in his prayer life. The marginal references in any Bible, indicate this prayer to be Word-based (Leviticus 26:39; Deuteronomy 4:29-31; 30:2-5; Exodus 32:11; Deuteronomy 9:29 ). When the Word controls our lives and prayers, we prevail in prayer for others.

Nehemiah 1:11 "... let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man ..."

The contrite spirit puts down self interest, and embracing the mind of God, gives itself to the interests of God and others. Nehemiah had the desire to serve God and his people. This desire, through prayer, developed to the point where he was ready to make his plan known to the king, Artaxerxes. Only God could move the heart of the king to release Nehemiah to go to Jerusalem. Nehemiah made his committal as servant, and trusted God to work out the details.

When the desires of God's business men and women are birthed out of their relationship with Him, they are granted (Psalm 37:4 ). The successes of God's business people, springs out of godly character and open communication, personal concern and prayer commitment.

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QUESTIONS FOR GROUP INTERACTION

1. What causes you to produce desires of the heart, so pleasing to God that He can give them to you?
2. Are you affected in what you desire, by the disposition of Jesus in you? (Galatians 5:22-24 ).
3. How essential is correct communication to your decision making? (Nehemiah 1:2-3 ).
4. Do you find little or no desire to get involved in a spiritual project, when only vague, emotional information is given?
5. What kind of need drives you to fasting and prayer? (Nehemiah 1:4 ).
6. Do you think God's business people need a contrite spirit? (Isaiah 57:15 ).
7. Do you think desires flowing from a contrite spirit will be granted by the Lord? Can you give some reasons?
8. In what way is the contrite spirit revealed in Nehemiah's prayer? (Nehemiah 1:5-11 )