The Book of Nehemiah opens (Nehemiah 1:1-11) not with walls being rebuilt, but with a heart breaking. When Nehemiah hears that Jerusalem’s walls are in ruins and its people are in disgrace, he doesn’t shrug it off as someone else’s problem. He sits down, weeps, fasts, and turns his whole being towards God. His prayer isn’t polished or detached, it’s raw with grief and yet rooted in deep trust. He confesses his nation’s sins, even naming himself and his family as part of the failure. And then he clings to God’s promise, if the people return, God will gather them back.

There’s something beautiful and searching in that. Nehemiah shows us that before restoration comes prayer, before building comes brokenness, before action comes humility. He doesn’t just mourn what’s been lost, he dares to believe that God’s covenant love hasn’t run dry. The ruins of Jerusalem might speak of shame and defeat, but Nehemiah’s prayer leans into a greater word: hope.

When we look at the world, or at parts of our own lives, and see what feels like ruins; relationships fractured, communities divided, faith worn thin. It’s tempting to despair. Yet Nehemiah reminds us that God listens to those who cry out, that his mercy is bigger than our failures, and that even scattered stones can be gathered into something strong again. As Paul later wrote, when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:10), for God’s strength is revealed in our dependence.

So let Nehemiah’s first response be ours too: not a rush to fix, but a turning to God with tears, confession, and trust. For in prayer, the rebuilding begins.

See also: Ezra & Nehemiah