Prayers from a Humble Heart

Ezra on His Knees

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The tax collector stood far off and told God the truth about his sin (Luke 18:13). Long before Jesus told that story, other people of God prayed humble prayers too. One of them was a man named Ezra.

A teacher of God's law. Ezra was a priest and a scribe who knew God's law very well. The Bible says he set his heart to study the law of the Lord, to obey it and to teach it to God's people (Ezra 7:10).

Like the Pharisee in one way. In some ways Ezra was like the Pharisee in Jesus' story. He knew God's commands, and he took them seriously. But when Ezra prayed, he did not tell God how good he was.

Sad news. God's people had come back to Jerusalem from Babylon. Then Ezra learned that many of them, even some leaders, had disobeyed God by marrying people who worshiped idols. God had told them not to do this (Ezra 9:1-2).

Ezra's sorrow. Ezra tore his clothes and sat down, shocked and sad (Ezra 9:3). People who trembled at God's words gathered around him (Ezra 9:4).

On his knees. At the time of the evening sacrifice, Ezra fell on his knees and spread out his hands to the Lord (Ezra 9:5).

Too ashamed to look up. Ezra told God he was too ashamed to lift up his face to Him, because their sins had piled up higher than their heads (Ezra 9:6). Like the tax collector, he could hardly look up toward heaven.

Our sins. Ezra did not point at anyone. He prayed about our sins and our guilt (Ezra 9:6-7). He stood with the people instead of looking down on them.

Kinder than we deserve. Ezra said that God had punished them less than their sins deserved, and that He had given them a little new life (Ezra 9:8, 13).

No excuses. Ezra ended by telling God that He is righteous, and that they stood before Him in their guilt with nothing to say for themselves (Ezra 9:15). Many people gathered, and they wept too (Ezra 10:1).

God's answer. Ezra had nothing to offer God but an honest heart. God's answer to guilty people is Jesus. “But Christ died for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8). Jesus rose again, and He still welcomes everyone who comes to Him.

What to do. When you pray about sin, do not point at other people. Tell God the truth about yourself, and say we and I instead of they. Then trust Jesus for mercy, and thank Him that He hears.

Ezra was a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses (Ezra 7:6), yet he prayed like the tax collector in Luke 18:13, not like the Pharisee.

Ezra 7:10. Ezra, a priest and scribe, had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, to do it and to teach its commands in Israel.

The report (9:1-2). Leaders told Ezra that many who had returned from exile, including priests, Levites and leaders, had married people of the nations around them who worshiped idols, which God had forbidden. The leaders had been among the first to do it.

Sitting astonished (9:3-4). Ezra tore his garment and robe and sat down astonished until the evening sacrifice. Everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around him.

Trembling at God's word. That is the kind of heart God looks for. Isaiah wrote that God looks with favor on the one who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at His word (Isaiah 66:2).

Hands spread out (9:5-6). At the evening sacrifice he fell on his knees, spread out his hands to the Lord and said he was too ashamed to lift up his face, because their iniquities had risen higher than their heads.

Our guilt (9:6-7). Ezra's prayer says our iniquities, our guilt, our kings, our priests. The Pharisee set himself apart from sinners; Ezra stood among them.

Grace in the guilt (9:8-9, 13). Ezra remembered that God had left them a remnant and given them a little reviving in their bondage, and that He had punished them less than their iniquities deserved.

No defense (9:15). He ended by confessing that the Lord is righteous and that they stood before Him in their guilt, unable to stand. He offered no excuse and no list of good works. A very large crowd gathered and wept bitterly (10:1).

The answer to that prayer. A guilty people who cannot stand before God need someone to stand for them. “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). The risen Christ is the reason humble prayers are heard.

Application. Pray about your sin the way Ezra did: honestly, without excuses, standing with others instead of above them. Knowing the Bible well is a gift, but it is never a reason to look down on anyone who knows it less.

Nehemiah Weeps and Prays

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Nehemiah lived far from Jerusalem, in the palace of the king of Persia. He was the king's cupbearer, a servant who brought the king his wine (Nehemiah 1:1, 11; 2:1).

Sad news. Some men came from Judah. They told Nehemiah that the people in Jerusalem were in great trouble. The city wall was broken down, and its gates had been burned (Nehemiah 1:2-3).

He wept. When Nehemiah heard this, he sat down and wept. For many days he was sad, went without food and prayed to the God of heaven (Nehemiah 1:4).

Who God is. Nehemiah began his prayer with God, not with himself. He called Him the great and awesome God, who keeps His promise and shows mercy to those who love Him (Nehemiah 1:5).

Day and night. He asked God to listen to the prayer he was praying day and night for God's people (Nehemiah 1:6).

My family and I. Nehemiah confessed the sins of Israel, and he did not leave himself out. He said that both his father's family and he himself had sinned (Nehemiah 1:6-7).

God's promise. Nehemiah reminded God of His word to Moses. If His people turned back to Him, God would gather them again (Nehemiah 1:8-9). Humble prayer leans on God's promises, not on our goodness.

Help me today. At the end he asked God to give him mercy before the king (Nehemiah 1:11). God answered, and the king sent Nehemiah to rebuild the wall (Nehemiah 2:4-8).

The people pray too. Later the people gathered, confessed their sins and prayed a long prayer. They said, “You have dealt faithfully, But we have done wickedly” (Nehemiah 9:33). They did not blame God or anyone else. They told God the truth, the same way the tax collector did.

Mercy through Jesus. God pardons sinners because of Jesus, who gave His life for us and rose again. “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

What to do. Start your prayers with who God is. Tell Him the truth about your sin, and ask Him for help with what is in front of you today. Then get up and obey Him in the job He gives you, the way Nehemiah did.

Nehemiah had an important job in a king's palace, yet he came to God like the tax collector: with honesty instead of a list of his own goodness.

The cupbearer (1:1, 11; 2:1). Nehemiah served Artaxerxes, king of Persia, in the palace at Shushan. As cupbearer he brought the king his wine, most likely a position of great trust.

The report (1:2-3). Hanani and men from Judah told him that the survivors in the province were in great trouble and shame, the wall of Jerusalem was broken down, and its gates were burned.

Wept, mourned, fasted (1:4). Nehemiah sat down and wept, mourned for many days, fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. His fasting was not a record to show God. It was sorrow that drove him to prayer, and it kept him praying for many days.

God first (1:5). He called on the Lord God of heaven, great and awesome, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him and keep His commandments.

Confession that includes me (1:6-7). He confessed the sins of the children of Israel and said that both his father's house and he had sinned. They had acted very corruptly and had not kept God's commands.

Standing on God's word (1:8-10). He reminded God of His word to Moses: scattering for unfaithfulness, gathering for those who return (Deuteronomy 30:1-4). He called them God's servants and His people, whom He had redeemed by His great power.

Prayer and work. Months later the king asked Nehemiah what he wanted. Nehemiah prayed to the God of heaven and then answered the king (Nehemiah 2:4-5). Humble prayer did not make him lazy. It made him ready to obey.

Nehemiah 9. Later the Levites led the people in confession. They admitted, “You have dealt faithfully, But we have done wickedly” (9:33). They did not explain their sin away or blame their fathers alone.

Why humble prayer is heard. God's faithfulness and mercy are shown most fully in Jesus, “who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification” (Romans 4:25).

Application. Before you ask God for anything, remember who He is, confess where you have failed and stand on His promises. Then get up and obey Him in the task in front of you.

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