It can be terrifying when life puts us – on-the-spot!

It was a gorgeous day for an outdoor wedding.  She was a Texan and he was a Chinese national.  They met on a mission trip and fell in love.  He moved to Texas shortly before they were married. 

I did the premarital counseling with them.  He could speak English well enough, but our culture was certainly a new frontier for him.  I was excited about officiating their wedding. 

He and I were together, waiting for the ceremony to begin.  He was pacing nervously, and I was in a mischievous mood, so I asked, “Are you ready to sing your song?”  Well, his skin tone flashed to pale white. 

“Song, what song?”  “The song” I said.  “You know, the one you’re supposed to sing to your bride just before the vows.”  “I no sing!”  “But it’s our custom. You must.”  “Out there?” “Yes!”

Pretty cruel – I know, but it was such fun.  I quickly told him the truth, however, before he tried to jilt the bride or needed a replacement pair of tuxedo pants.

It can be terrifying when life puts us on-the-spot!   But you know what that’s like…

– the boss unfairly accuses you

– your teen daughter asks to leave with her waiting friend to go to an iffy party

– the teacher looks at your test paper and says, “Is this all there is?”

– the doctor rushes in and asks, “do you want us to resuscitate your mother”

At times like those we need presence of mind, a pulse of less than 200 bpm, and a good dose of wisdom would be great – but all we got is, “Me no sing.”  

Nehemiah found himself in one of those situations.  He was a Jewish slave who was the cupbearer to the king who tasted every drink before it met the lips of the king.  Cupbearers were expendable.  Kings were not.

Nehemiah, however, was distressed about the poor state of his homeland.  He wanted to see Jerusalem thrive again, starting with the rebuilding of her fallen walls.

So, the day came when the King was parched and ready for a glass of Chardonet and Nehemiah was on the job.  And then this happened.  

He said, “I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before; so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill?” –  Nehemiah 2:1-2

Nehemiah was so downhearted about his homeland that his happy service to the king was missing.  It was noticed which is why he wrote, “I was very much afraid.” (2:2)

To serve the king required a person to stow their personal issues and provide their personal best.  In those days, failure to do so could have sent him to the executioner.

So, Nehemiah told the king why he was sad.  The king replied, “What is it you want?” (2:4)

Already in trouble for disturbing the king with his personal matters and now locked into a vise-like dilemma – withhold the truth and possibly die for it; or tell the truth and possibly die for it. 

But Nehemiah understood and trusted the God of whom the Psalmist wrote, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:10 KJV.  He knew Him to be an on-the-spot God.

So, Nehemiah whispered a very brief prayer to the Lord right there (2:5) and then asked for permission to return and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

He sucked in his breath and then waited until the king answered.  Nehemiah could write, “It pleased the king to send me” (2:6).

On-the-spot help.  Just a brief prayer, uttered to a God who Nehemiah knew to be an ever-present help in time of trouble.

When we are suddenly put on the spot – confronted with trouble, He will be there for us as well – just a brief prayer away.

A PRAYER: Lord, please remind me to pray when I am put on the spot

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord be with you always

Scripture passages cited from the NIV unless otherwise noted.