“O LORD God of Heaven, the great and awesome God” (Nehemiah 1:5).

God is in His Heaven, but all was not right in the world of Nehemiah. While serving as the King’s cupbearer in Shushan the palace in ancient Persia, modern Iran, word came to him of the bitter and broken conditions of the wall of Jerusalem. He immediately sat down and sought the Lord. What a blessed pattern for believers who face difficulties! Instead of charging ahead and trying to fix the situation on his own, Nehemiah prayed and sought the Lord. He knew Him to be the great and awesome God. What is your course of action when hard times come? Some people pout. Others complain. Still others take matters into their own hands and react without thinking, praying, or planning. When that happens, sometimes the outcome is worse than the original problem. Nehemiah prayed. So must we.

For today: Don’t run ahead of the Lord and try to help Him by fixing things on your own. Pray!