Nehemiah responded to tragedy by fasting

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Nehemiah was a cup-bearer to Artaxerxes, king of Persia. He learned terrible news about the remnant in Judah and the city of Jerusalem. He grieved and fasted.

 


 

BIBLE VERSE

 

Nehemiah 1:4. When I heard these words, I sat down and wept, and mourned several days; and I fasted and prayed before the God of heaven,

 

DISCUSSION

 

I fasted and prayed. When Nehemiah heard the bad news about the situation of the Jews in Jerusalem, he was overcome with grief. For days he fasted and prayed.

Nehemiah felt sympathy for people.

He reminds us of the Lord Jesus Christ. When Jesus saw how poorly people were doing, he too felt sympathy for them:

Matthew 9:36. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd.

The natural human reaction to grief is to fast and pray.

 

CAUTION

Fasting is only for those who are medically capable. Check with your health care provider. Experts say you need to be under the supervision of a doctor during the time of a fast.

 

SEE ALSO

Bible Verses about Fasting. To fast is to abstain from eating. And possibly drinking. Or to follow a restricted diet. It is a wonderful companion during special times in our lives.

 


Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.