The Lord’s Prayer is the most well-known prayer in the world. It starts out Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Have you ever asked yourself what the meaning of that is? We understand the rest about forgiving our sins and helping us out of temptations and receiving our daily bread. But what does it mean when we pray for Gods kingdom to come? The kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom that exists among his people. It is the spirit-filled church. When we pray this prayer, we are literally asking God to dwell in us and work through us to accomplish His purposes here on earth. If we really understood that I wonder how many would actually keep praying that prayer or find another one. Your kind of putting yourself out there saying hey Lord use me. And this is exactly what Nehemiah was doing. Back then the mystery that is the church had not yet been revealed so God’s people were represented by an earthly kingdom specifically Israel. And its capital was Jerusalem. And this kingdom was in disrepair, the gates and the walls were broken down and when Nehemiah who was a cupbearer to the king had heard this report he began to fast and pray for several months until the day of opportunity had arrived to be used in literally rebuilding the kingdom on earth.

Nehemiah 2:1-8

1. Here I am Lord send me- Nehemiah hand been praying and preparing himself when God would provide the opportunity to make his request to the king. His burden was to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Like Nehemiah God has called us to be his change agents in this world to make an impact, to be an influence for good. To be an influence for his kingdom. Our lives are not just merely our own.

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)

¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

2. The myth of the secular/sacred divide-Nehamas call didn’t seem al that spiritual, he was to be governor, he had to have plans drawn up, create a budget, arrange for the purchase and transport of materials to the site and many other things. All that we do is about bringing glory to God. for the believer our world is not divided into secular concerns and spiritual concerns. God is to be glorified in my work, and my home and my school not just in my church.

I remember years ago I had asked my Bible Study group to pray for me to get a job, God had answered my prayer and I got a great job. But then after a few months it didn’t feel like a great job and so I went to my study group and asked them to pray for me for another job. A good friend in the group pulled me aside and corrected me. She said we just prayed for you to get this job and you want to leave already?

You may be in a position where you aren’t very fond of the work environment, somedays you just which you were somewhere else but consider that God places lights in the darkness, Are you be a light in that place? I understand the grind of the workplace. You are working hard, your feet hurt your trying to please the customers, sometimes your just putting out fires but then there are those moments where your coworkers share what’s going on in their lives and you can give them a little hope. Pray with them.

(But what if God is calling you to move up to a new position or a new job)

3. Don’t fear but pray and move- When the king had noticed that Nehemiah was sad, he was afraid. Why? because depending on the mood of the king he could be suspicious that Nehemiah was up to something. You had to keep up appearances around the king or you might lose your head literally. But he stepped out in faith and asked the king for help.

You can plan and consider what you might say given the situation but it is entirely something else when you’re in the moment and the opportunity is presented. We can have a fear of moving forward, taking a risk stepping out in faith. Nehemiah could have kept his head down and said oh nothing king I am fine. How many times has a door opened but fear prevented you from walking through it? perhaps a move to an anew place, a new job opportunity, or maybe even starting a new business.

I have over the years prayed with and advised people that have been at that point of decision where they had been considering taking a leadership position, ministry or starting their own business. While I may not know all the details of what their particular field of business would require, I am able to recognize potential in people to be something more. But they have to be the ones to make the decision, to take that step of faith. I have watched as some have settled for safe while others decided to trust God and have faith and move out of their comfort zone. My advice is always the same. “You took the classes right, you have prayed and prepared yes, you have gotten the license yes, the permits. What’s stopping you? At some point, you’re going to have to take that step of faith.

I understand the fear. I have been at the door where God was saying through and even though I couldn’t see the future or know what I awaited I prayed and stepped forward. Because God has given me that extra faith at the times that I have needed it.

4. Avoiding analysis paralysis-there was a man who was hiking and slipped off the trail and fell but, on the way, down he grabbed a branch and held on to that branch. he was holding on so tight and he heard a voice from heaven saying let go. But he said no Lord I'm going to fall, again he heard just let go. He refused. Then he heard again look down for a minute. He was only 2 feet off the ground.

How many times have you been presented with an opportunity but thought of all the things that could go wrong instead of the potential of what good can come of it. Oh, I don’t know if I can do this, what if I fail, What if I’m am no good at this, we become little risk assessment agents. Rather than trusting that God has a plan for our lives and that this plan is part of his greater plan to build his kingdom, to bring people to him. why not think about what could be?

Conclusion:. As I get towards the end of my life I don’t want to think of what could have been but I want to be thankful for what the Lord has done in and through my life. What dream is God placing upon your heart, what calling is there in your life, what burden has he placed upon your heart? Don’t be afraid to step out in faith. Yes God opens the door but you must walk through it.