What did I learn from Nehemiah? Success in my workplace = success in my ministry.
Nehemiah was someone who was holding a high position in his work. Yet he had the heart to serve God's people. He used his position to be a blessing to his people.
This is how the flow of blessings through Nehemiah started.....having a good relationship with his boss, the king.
He was not someone who bad-mouthed his boss, the king. He was not someone who spoke bad about his boss to others. He was not someone who gossiped about his boss. He was not rebellious or critical of his boss.
It was only through his good attitude with his boss that he was able to ask for what he needed to rebuild the temple.
Here is the secret of his good relationship with his boss:
1. He prayed to God for his boss to show him mercy - PRAY, PRAY, PRAY
Neh 1:11
"O Lord, I pray, please let your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let your servant prosper this day, I pray, and give him mercy in the sight of this man." For I was the king's cupbearer"
God answered Nehemiah's prayer.
Prayer for our bosses has to be offered on a daily basis. See the changes in our bosses when this is done. In fact this is what I do everyday but I must confess that I did not ask for favor but rather for my boss hurtful words toward me to stop! It did actually whenever I pray!
2. He asked his boss for favors - ACTION AFTER PRAYING
Nehemiah prayed for right response to his boss. The king actually asked him in Neh 2:5 "...what do you request?"
Firstly he asked for official leave, possibly unpaid leave:
- Neh 2:5 "And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may rebuild it"'
He was forthright about his request. In fact he was testifying to the heathen king that he was a Christian with a heart for the church! Yes, that's what I often do. Sometimes when applying for leave, I will tell my boss that I am taking leave for an important church meeting! She will keep quiet and release me to go on leave.
-Neh 2:8 "And a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest that he must give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel which pertains to the temple, for the city wall, and for the house that I will occupy. And the king granted them to me according to the good hand of my God upon me"
3. His boss gave him much more
The king gave Nehemiah protection in addition to the letter for timber.
Neh 2:9 "Then I went to the governors in the region beyond the River, and gave them the kings letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me"
Prosperity in my workplace for the past 2 years is from the hand of God on my life:
- a big car
- petrol and phone allowances
- a big bonus as compared to others
- almost a 4-figure increment
- good name and reputation with big bosses in my workplace through the god-given grace to solve complex problems
This is one thing I know, those who honor God will never be put to shame.
Neh 2:20
"So I answered them, and said to them, "The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build..."
God has prospered me in my workplace so that like Nehemiah, I can arise and build God's house and do God's work!
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