The story of Nehemiah is full of action and intrigue. Try reading the first two chapters, and you’ll see what I mean. Because Nehemiah serves King Artaxerxes of Persia as the daily taster of his possibly poisoned wine, he puts his life on the line for the King every day. This King is the inheritor of all the exiles from Jerusalem and Judah, those who were originally defeated by the King of Babylon. Perhaps Nehemiah has never even seen Jerusalem, as he is a hand-me-down exile. Yet when he hears that Jerusalem is in ruins, its walls and gates destroyed and the survivors crushed in sorrow, he weeps. For days he fasts and weeps and prays, wondering what he can do. He’s so far away, and he works for the very King who has forbidden that Jerusalem be rebuilt. Nevertheless, his heart is burning for Jerusalem.
It was while Nehemiah wept and prayed that he and God came up with a plan. When the King asked what was bothering him, Nehemiah boldly took his life in his hands and asked to be put on leave to rebuild Jerusalem. And after that unexpected request, he even asked for letters of safe passage and construction materials from the King’s own forest!
Nehemiah not only prayed and cast his cares on God but was courageous enough to ask for what he truly wanted. He had a plan to reach his goal saying that he felt God’s hand on him for good in Nehemiah 1:18. Because he gave himself up to a work to be done for God and for the blessing of God’s people, Nehemiah chose to abandon caution and confront the King. Additionally he did the nitty-gritty planning for exactly what was required to complete the job. Through this story, Nehemiah shows us the heart of leadership in his prayer, perseverance, and planning.