The Prayers of Nehemiah – Part Two; Arrow Prayers

The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king. “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.” Nehemiah 2:4-5

The Situation at Hand

Read Nehemiah 2:1-10 HERE.

Last week we left off with Nehemiah in prayer as he prepares to ask King Artaxerxes to let him go to Jerusalem and help his people.

The opportunity has arisen for Nehemiah to ask the king for his favor. Nehemiah was nervous and afraid as he approached the king, so he shoots off a quick prayer as the request to be sent to Jerusalem forms on his tongue.

What is an arrow prayer?

Arrow prayers are quick, one-sentence prayers that you can shoot off amid any life situation. These prayers are useful when you are in the middle of a crisis, problem, or daily activity. They can also be prayers of thanks or praise when we are delighted with God.

We see an example of an arrow prayer in verse four of Nehemiah. As Nehemiah is walking toward the king, he quickly shoots off an arrow prayer. We don’t know what his prayer was, but it might have sounded like, “God of heaven, give me favor with the king,” or “God of heaven, protect me.”

Whatever Nehemiah prayed; we know God answered his prayer. Nehemiah modeled an effective prayer method we can incorporate into our daily lives.

Arrow prayers in your daily life.

My friend Judy and I were often in the car together as we shared rides to our weekly Bible Study. She would shoot off arrow prayers all the time. If we made a green light, she would thank God for His favor, If we saw an accident, she would pray for help for those impacted. She peppered our conversations with intermittent arrow prayers, often responding with a “praise the Lord” or “God help …”. I loved learning how to use arrow prayers from my friend Judy; she inspired me in my prayer life.

As a mother of a teenager and young adult, I often shoot off arrow prayers for their protection as they climb into cars with their friends, or as they travel long distances to visit friends.

I use arrow prayers in my work, too. I work in customer service, and sometimes I have to offer up a prayer asking for God’s help to keep my moods in check or for His grace on a tough call.

Arrow prayers don’t have to be something used only in a crisis or emergency. An arrow prayer of praise can be offered up when we notice something good in our day. Perhaps when you see a rainbow, you shoot off a prayer thanking God for His promises. Hearing the birds sing as we wake up can remind us to start with a quick prayer of thanks for the day ahead.

Arrow prayers as a personal mantra.

I used to smoke, and as I was quitting, I raised a short prayer every time I wanted a cigarette. I used the same prayer every time, making it my mantra, or cry for help, in my moment of weakness. The prayer I used during this time was a part of the Lord’s Prayer. I would pray, “Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil.” That was it, a quick prayer for God’s help and intervention, shot up frequently, consistently, and earnestly. It worked; I was able to quit smoking.

Arrow prayers can strengthen our faith.

These short prayers throughout our day and weaved within our prayer life will strengthen our walk with the Lord. All prayers are based upon the fact we recognize God as the Author of all life and the one whose power and strength we rely upon. As we pray continuously throughout our days, we are drawn closer to the Lord and this helps us trust God in other areas of our lives.

Arrow prayers are not magic.

These short prayers are most effective when they are part of an ongoing, prayerful relationship with God. They are not a substitute for regular, personal prayer time.

We read about Nehemiah’s prayer last week as an example of a prayer that came from a deep understanding of the nature of God, His ways, and His heart. This prayer came from the heart of a man who knew God personally.

If we want God to hear our emergency prayers, we need to make sure we are cultivating a strong relationship with the one answering our prayers!

The situation at hand.

So, the situation at hand now is that Nehemiah finds favor with the king and is granted permission to go. As soon permission was granted, he begins to ask for additional help from the king. Nehemiah knew that his prayers were being answered and that answered prayers often come from the boldness to pray in faith for others to help us. King Artaxerxes then provided him with letters and a cavalry to aid him.

But in verse 10, we see some people are not happy the king approved or supported Nehemiah’s mission to promote the welfare of the Israelites. We find Sanballat and Tobiah somewhat disturbed at this new development. We will follow more of that story next week.

What are some of your regular arrow prayers? How do you think incorporating more arrow prayers in your life will draw you closer to God? Or create a deeper prayer life?

Heavenly Father, thank you for hearing all of our prayers. We recognize you are the only one who can meet our needs and strengthen us in our weakness. We gladly put the expected results of our prayers into your hands, trusting you to work everything according to your purposes. We long to have a deeper relationship with you and for our prayer life to be an effective tool in our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Read – The Prayers of Nehemiah – Part One; How to Pray – HERE

Next week – The Prayers of Nehemiah – Part Three; Action Prayers

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