5 Then I said:
“Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you.7 We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
8 “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, 9 but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’
Heartfelt prayers like Nehemiah can help:
1. Clarify problem you may be facing
2. Acquiring God's great power to help you
3. Knowing the job you have to do, because by the end of his prayer time, Nehemiah knew what actions he had to take (1:11)
4. When God's people pray, difficult decisions fall into proper perspective, and appropriate acions follows.
