Bethesda Chapel 2002
SG Bible Study #10

Nehemiah 1:1-4

Suggested Opening Song:

Take Time to be Holy
Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak
Forgetting in nothing, His blessing to seek

Take time to be holy, the world rushes on
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be
Thy friends, in thy conduct, His likeness shall see

Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide
And run not before Him, whatever betide
In joy or in sorrow, still follow thy Lord,
And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word

Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul
Each thought and each temper, beneath His control
Thus led by His Spirit, to fountains of love
Thou soon shalt be fitted, for service above

Sharing as desired on an individual basis (Optional)
‘Bear ye one another’s burden.’  Let us be a brother and sister to each other. 
Take time to share and pray.

Prayer
Whether in twos, threes, or as a group.

Scripture Reading
Nehemiah 1:1-4. 

Discussion:

  1. From your background study, discuss the political situation in which Nehemiah was in.  Where was he and who what king was he serving?  

 

  1. From the opening phrase, ‘The words of Nehemiah . . .,’ does it remind you of similarities found in any particular kind of books of the Bible?  What might it be and do you see any significance in this?  

     

  1. A whole gamut of emotions can be seen in verse four – wept, mourned, fasted.  Do you consider this as something cultural?  What part has our emotions to do with our prayers?   

     

     

Devotional Reflection:

  1. Like all of us, Nehemiah was himself a busy career man, with a heavy responsibility as cupbearer to the king.  Yet, he took time to enquire about the needs of others.  Do you think that the culture we live in has made us more and more self-centred and that the only time we ‘look beyond us’ is so as to add more into our own world?  Have we been spending enough time even with our own parents?

 

  1. ‘I sat down.’ – That’s what Nehemiah did.  Taking time out for quiet reflection is a habit that is being promoted in Christian circles today as that which is so helpful for our inner spiritual growth.  If your group have been to a spiritual retreat before, share with each other the ‘returns’ you gained.  If your group hasn’t been on one yet, work out the possibility of having one soon!

 

  1. Nehemiah presented his burdens to God through prayer.  Do we do this?  Or do we do this often enough?  What kind of place does the exercise of prayer play in our lives?

 

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