Beginning to Pray with the Greatness of God

One of the easiest things to do is to make our problems bigger than everything else. Sometimes we can even make our circumstances bigger than God.

When Nehemiah hears about the difficulties in his homeland, he allows those circumstances to lead him in to prayer. But even as he prays, Nehemiah recalibrates around the greatness of God instead of letting his circumstances become the greatest thing in his imagination.

“When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. 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, 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.’” (Nehemiah 1:4-6a)

Remember that Nehemiah mourned and fasted and prayed for some days before God, and then eventually brought his prayer to God. While it is his circumstances that prompt prayer, Nehemiah begins his prayer by intentionally refocusing his attention on God. And this is important for Nehemiah, and for us in our own lives, because if our circumstances have primary focus, we can easily be overcome by passing joy or crushing negativity. But when we turn our attention to God, our circumstances come into perspective. It isn’t that our circumstances don’t matter. It’s just that our circumstances aren’t everything. Our circumstances do not define our reality. God defines our reality. 

“Our circumstances do not define our reality. God defines our reality.”

As Nehemiah refocuses his attention on God his does so by paying attention to two areas: the greatness of God’s being or character and then the greatness of God’s promises.

Nehemiah recalibrates around the greatness of God’s being by paying attention to the personal nature of God. He addresses God as “LORD,” which is the personal name of God (YHWH) in the original Hebrew. This is not an abstract God but the personal, relational God of the history of Nehemiah’s people. This personal God is also “the God of heaven” (1:5). That is, this God is the One who rules over everything, which is emphasized by the final phrase “the great and awesome God.” Nehemiah has the character of God in sharp focus. The early 20^th century theologian Arthur W. Pink once wrote: “Happy the soul that has been awed by a view of God’s majesty.” Nehemiah stands in awe of the majesty of God and this brings life and joy to him as he embarks on the conversation of prayer.

Second, along with looking to the greatness of God’s being, Nehemiah refocuses attention on the greatness of God’s promises. Notice how Nehemiahs remembers the covenant promises of God to his people, describing God’s actions as a “covenant of love” (1:6). God did not have to reach out and continue to turn toward humanity, but God does that and it is a reflection of the love of God. Nehemiah next reminds God that the request he will bring and the people he is talking about are God’s very people, using the words “your” several times to bring this home. Nehemiah remembers the story of God, holds to the covenants of God, and stands in the promises of God as part of his starting point for prayer.

We can pray about anything and God will receive any prayer we lift. Words are important, but ultimately it is not about having the right words. However, starting in the right place can be incredibly helpful. It can help us keep the focus where it most needs to be, which is on God first and foremost. It is from that right focus that we can easily bring our circumstances to God that, in the light of His presence, we might pray with eyes on him.

As contemporary New Testament scholar and historian N. T. Wright writes: “It’s not great faith you need; it is faith in a great God.”^[1]

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^[1] N. T. Wright, Luke for Everyone (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004), 200.