“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20–21, NKJV) 

Upon hearing the distress of his cupbearer, the Persian king asked him, “What do you request?” The pregnant pause before Nehemiah’s response was not filled with silence but with prayer. 

What do you think he prayed for? No doubt he asked God for success, that He would make the king favorable to his request. Perhaps he prayed for courage or for clarity in describing his sadness and ambition. Maybe his prayer was amorphous, simply casting himself on his God. 

Sometimes casting ourselves on God when we can’t find the words is all we can do, relying on Him for both the prayer and for the answer. The apostle Paul describes that sort of prayer: “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Rom. 8:26-27). 

Whatever the prayer, Nehemiah prayed before answering Artaxerxes. His general request was that the king would send him to Judah, his homeland, so that he might rebuild. The king asked for a time frame and gave Nehemiah the green light to leave his duties as cupbearer and return to Jerusalem. 

But Nehemiah wasn’t finished. He asks the king for letters allowing for safe passage. In addition, he requested building materials for the work he aspired to undertake. All this seems rather audacious, but Nehemiah had entrusted himself and his mission to the God who was able to do more than he would even ask. 

The scene ends with the statement that the king granted Nehemiah’s request. But there is an addendum to that statement. “And the king granted them to me according to the good hand of my God upon me” (Neh. 2:8). 

Nehemiah credits his success not to his position as cupbearer to the king, not to the power of his persuasive skills, not to the king’s good spirits because of the wine he had imbibed (2:1), but to the good hand of God, a phrase repeated in both Ezra and Nehemiah for the work of rebuilding. 

What is the hand of God? God is spirit and has no body, but He does communicate in ways that we can understand. He opens His hand and supplies the desires of every living thing. His hand is at the helm of history. His hand speaks to His power, providence, and provision. By prayer, we take hold of God's hand.

When we pray “Your will be done,” we commit ourselves and our requests to the good pleasure of the God who governs all that comes to pass. Nehemiah would leave his role as cupbearer and take up the role of governor, yet he knew full well that he served at the good pleasure and for the good purpose of the God of heaven. 

As with Nehemiah, we can pray in keeping with the authority and power of the God we entreat. Nothing is too difficult for Him. No realm is off limits. And when we meet success, we want to be quick to ascribe to Him all glory, honor, and praise. 

What is the ultimate goal of our prayer? 

If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15). 

Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.