Prayer does not preclude action, but often includes it. Indeed, prayer is the first action, and that first action sets the tone and establishes the direction for what follows. In the model prayer Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He has us ask God for our daily bread. Yet, to the church at Thessalonica Paul writes: “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.” (2 Thess. 3:10). Pray and do. Do because we pray. Pray to do. 

Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night. (Nehemiah 4:9, NKJV)

God’s enemies were resolute in trying to undermine the work of building the wall, particularly as they saw the progress being made. Fueled by anger, “they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it” (Neh. 4:8).

Not surprisingly, the Jews resorted to prayer, likely at the initiative of Nehemiah and certainly at his example. But something else is highlighted for us, something along with prayer. “Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night” (Neh. 4:9).

Just as earlier Nehemiah had prayed and asked (the king), here we see the people prayed and acted. Prayer does not preclude action, but often includes it. Indeed, prayer is the first action, and that first action sets the tone and establishes the direction for what follows.

In the model prayer Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He has us ask God for our daily bread. Yet, to the church at Thessalonica Paul writes: “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.” (2 Thess. 3:10). Pray and do. Do because we pray. Pray to do.

This two-pronged approach to kingdom work is prominent in Nehemiah 4.

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