Preparing the Message and the Messenger

Nehemiah 2:4 – Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. And I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me but the one on which I rode. 

One of the highlights of my week is being able to spend uninterrupted, dedicated time with the Lord talking to Him, thanking Him, asking for things, and gaining clarity on what He has for me, our family, and our church family. Generally, this includes a prayer walk way, way out into the woods or mountains where it’s just me, the Lord, and oftentimes a few deer or a beautiful lake.

A few weeks ago, my schedule for the week got thrown for a loop , which meant I didn’t get my normally scheduled extended time with the Lord. Even though I had prepared the sermon, when it came time to preach on Saturday night, I felt like I was unprepared and unready.

The issue was that the message was prepared but the messenger wasn’t. Because I didn’t get dedicated time with the Lord, I felt unprepared to say all that He would have me to say.

Nehemiah prepared what He would say to the king, but He also prayed to the King of Kings several times throughout the book, especially before he approached the king, seeking God’s will. This chapter, and my experience a few weeks ago, is a reminder to me that preparing the messenger is just as important, if not more so, than preparing the message.

How’s your prayer time with the Lord on a daily and weekly basis? Where can you fit this into your schedule if it’s not currently part of your routine?

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