Nehemiah 1:4a When I heard these things I sat down
In the days before phones and email, it took a long time for the news about what was happening back in Jerusalem to reach Nehemiah. When it came it is no surprise that he needed to sit down – it shook him deeply.
Before exploring how he responded to the news he had heard, I would like to encourage us to highlight the value of taking time to sit, kneel or walk about to pray and ponder the things we hear before springing into precipitate action.
What we glean from spending time mulling things over with the Lord in such ways will often direct our future action in unexpected directions. Continue reading