Nehemiah does not rush into things but waits on the Lord. He has been waiting now for four months. Waiting is something that most of us do not do very well—waiting, wondering when things are going to change, when a door is going to open up, or when my circumstances are going to change. We often have the idea that waiting is passive, that waiting is sitting around doing nothing. But from chapter 1:4–11 and here in chapter 2:4 we hear what Nehemiah was doing while he waited: he was not passive, he was praying! Nehemiah was a man of prayer. Twelve times in this book we read of him praying!

Nehemiah served before the throne of King Artaxerxes, but took his concerns before the throne of God! He had never been sad before in the presence of the king. But the King could tell something was weighing Nehemiah down. Nehemiah was dreadfully afraid because you could not be anything but happy in the king’s presence. There he stood with a broken heart before the throne of the king. What is he going to do? Nehemiah takes his concern once again to a higher throne! He enters the throne room of God Almighty and casts his care onto the God of heaven!

What lessons we can learn from this man of prayer! The king saw sorrow on Nehemiah’s face, but the God of heaven can see the sorrow in the heart of each one of us! When the king was approached, people went in with fear and trepidation. But we can approach the throne of grace today boldly that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Heb. 4:14–16). Prayer is not the last option; it is the only option and it is always the best option! We should be like Nehemiah and make it our first option!