Nehemiah 2: An "Arrow Prayer"

Can you pray in a mere instant?  Nehemiah could, and did.

We read about Nehemiah shooting an "arrow prayer" to heaven in verse 4.  Right in the middle of a conversation (with the king, no less), the Bible tells us, "Then the king said to me, 'What do you request?' So I prayed to the God of heaven."

In verse 2, Nehemiah's sad and downcast expression had prompted the king to ask him what was wrong.  At first, Nehemiah is afraid to answer.  The king was obviously one that you wouldn't want to upset or offend!  Nehemiah could be in peril.  But in spite of that, Nehemiah tells the truth, that he is in mourning for the sad state of Judah and especially for the defenseless city of Jerusalem.

In response, the king asks his cupbearer what he would like to do about the situation.  It is at this point when Nehemiah first offers a quick prayer to God, then tells the king what is on his heart.  He asks permission to leave Susa, the capital city, and go to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall.  The king's heart is favorably inclined to Nehemiah's request, and he grants him leave for this purpose.

So Nehemiah's "arrow prayer" was answered.  But it is also important to note that Nehemiah was able to offer an acceptable prayer on the spot because he had so diligently prayed in chapter one.  His earnestness in prayer and fasting prepared him for the opportunity that God provided in his audience with the king, and he was able to continue on with just a quick prayer at that point because he had already bathed the subject in his earlier prayers.

The lesson here?  It's always an appropriate time to pray!