Nehemiah 2:8

And the king granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me.

Nehemiah’s appearance before King Artaxerxes went incredibly well. Not only did the king grant him all the leave that he wanted, but he also gave Nehemiah letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates to ensure his safe travel, together with access to the royal forest for wood to help with the reconstruction of Jerusalem. Nehemiah’s response was to acknowledge that this happened because the gracious hand of God was on him. When things go well in our lives it is so important that we immediately turn to God in praise. If we succeed in sport, we should praise God for the gift of our bodies and the strength he has given us. If we do well in our studies or in business, we should praise God for the skills and abilities that he has gifted us. If our families are healthy and doing well, we should praise God for the way in which he graciously gave them to us in the first place. Every day provides us with reasons to praise God.

Nehemiah saw God’s gracious hand upon him in the bad moments as well as the good ones. As soon as he got to work, the opposition started to kick off. Throughout his building project he was dogged by fierce attacks from Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite and some of the Jewish nobles. He could have concluded that his opponents were proof that God had withdrawn his hand of blessing – but he didn’t. His relationship with God was so secure that he knew that, whatever the circumstances, the Lord would stand by him.

Whatever happens to you today I invite you to believe that God’s gracious and loving hand is upon you, giving you strength to face every challenge and blessing.

Question

In what way do you recognise the gracious hand of God upon you at the moment?

Prayer

Loving God, thank you that you are beside me every step of the way, graciously providing for me through thick and thin. Help me each day to trust you more. Amen