06.16.2014 Old Testament: Neh 1.11b

To read the Bible in a year, read Nehemiah 1–3 on June 16, In the year of our Lord 2014

By Don Ruhl

After Nehemiah wrote down a prayer that he made to find favor before the Persian king, Nehemiah noted,

For I was the king’s cupbearer (Nehemiah 1.11). 

Nehemiah wanted to find mercy in the sight of the Persian king so that the king might release Nehemiah to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls.

Would the king grant Nehemiah’s request? Already we know that he had a very important job with the king, that of tasting the food and drink before the king consumed it, to make sure that it did not contain poison. Therefore, the king had great trust in Nehemiah, because he could have slipped something into the food or drink. He stood between the king and death.

Can people put such trust in you?