Nehemiah 2:1–3 ‘In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before…’ (v1)
We know from the story of Queen Esther about the importance of presentation in front of the king.
Anyone in the court of the king must meet his approval, so a great amount of effort would go into the outfits that would be worn and the make-up applied to cover any blemishes.
Everything must be just right to ensure nothing untoward disturbed the king. So, when Nehemiah the cupbearer, is challenged by the king for looking sad, he knows there is a risk of being banished from the throne room or even worse killed.
But even though Nehemiah was afraid, he still raised his concernswith the king. He didn’t apologise, go quiet and make excuses as he left, but he stepped up and explained what was happening in Jerusalem.
Such incredible courage. Fear is a normal emotion when faced with an uncertain outcome, but it is our response to fear which reveals something of our character.
Nehemiah, a faithful servant, caring for the king’s needs daily, suddenly finds his inner sadness of heart had spread to his face and now everyone is watching his response.
We are at our worst when we are surprised or caught off guard. Fear can bring out our worst attributes as we respond with fight or flight.
It is easy to look at others and think what we might do differently, but none of us truly know until that moment when we face our fear. I wonder how you might have responded?
A Prayer To Make:
‘Lord, thank You that Your love for me is more powerful than any fear that grips me. Give me the courage of Nehemiah to face my fears. Amen.’
An Action To Take:
FEAR can be spelt False Evidence Appearing Real. Write down the fears you have that consume your thoughts. One at a time, read them out loud and cross them off your list, declaring that ‘perfect love casts out fear’ (1 John 4:18).
Scripture To Consider:
Josh. 1:9; Isa. 41:10; 2 Tim. 1:7; 1 John 4:18
