Nehemiah 4 - Praying For or Praying With

“And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.” Nehemiah 4:9

I’ve noticed an alarming trend in the lives of Christians today. They encounter someone in great emotional, physical, or spiritual need and they automatically respond with the phrase, “I’ll be praying for you” as they casually saunter off into the sunset. Now in itself this is not bad, that is, if you do indeed remember that very specific prayer request and then take it to God in genuine heartfelt prayer later. But be honest, many times those words are reflexively issued only to quickly forget them…and the prayer never parts your lips. I know I have been guilty. A while back I had a guy in front of me that was really hurting and although awkward, I prayed with him on the spot. I prayed for him in the middle of the moment, in the middle of his need, and in the middle of his pain. As both of our tears flowed, God revealed something powerful to me. The huge difference between praying for someone and praying with someone.

In Nehemiah chapter 4 we see the work of God under attack, that is, the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. The surrounding peoples are as mad as wet cats that the work of God is going so swimmingly, so they start by hurling ridicule and insults at the workers of God. And how does Nehemiah deflect those attacks? He stops and prays in the very moment...right there on that wall as he was laying brick. The next attacks come as jeers and taunts. Nehemiah offsets them by praying with the workers of God...right where they stood on that construction site, dirty hands and all. There are next threats of physical violence to stop the work of God. And you guessed it, Nehemiah prays with his fellow workers in the very moment...right where they stood. Most people see Nehemiah as a man that got things done. An action man. But if you truly study the book of Nehemiah, you’ll see that he was a man that asked God to get things done. And then he simply met God where God was doing the work.

Do you remember the very first thing Nehemiah did as God called him to rebuild the wall? He prayed for 4 solid months. He prayed 4 months for a job that only took 52 days to complete. Nehemiah was a man of prayer. And he didn’t carry around a notepad with him to write all the prayer requests down to only later pray for the needs of those around him. Nehemiah prayed in the moment. He prayed with the people. He prayed when the need arose. He prayed in the now.

Today, I challenge you to not pray for, but pray with. When you come across someone that is crying out in their pain for help, stop what you’re doing and take that request directly to the Lord in prayer. Forget about where you’re at or what people might think and as Nike says, just do it. I’ve prayed in the middle of retail stores, in cafeterias, in parking lots, and even in a busy line at Wal-Mart. Wherever prayer is needed, take action and ask God into the situation as quickly as possible. Don’t miss the opportunity to pray with people in their moment of need, for it is a moment that the evil one may not allow to happen again.

Today, don’t automatically slip into the standard “I’ll pray for you” response as God grants you the ability to pray with someone. Instead grab their hands, embrace their hearts, and take it to the Lord in prayer. He has the answers, get Him involved.

“…but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Easter lunch, Puebla, Mexico