In this episode of Pray the Word on Nehemiah 11:19, David Platt reminds us of the importance of each person in the Kingdom of God.
“The gatekeepers: Akkub, Talmon and their brothers who kept watch at the gates were 172.”
-Nehemiah 11:19
So what is so encouraging about this verse and how can we pray according to it? Well, it comes in the middle of a chapter with so many different names. I started counting all the different names, but I got lost.
I started to read different ones, but I can’t pronounce half of them. This is a picture, though, of all the specific people, including Akkub, Talmon, f and their brothers who kept watch at the gates who were 172. All these specific people that God tells us about in his Word, individual names of his people who did what he called them to do in all kinds of different ways.
Nehemiah 11:19 is a Reminder of Each Person’s Importance
The book is named after Nehemiah, this leader who did this and that, but don’t miss the beauty in Nehemiah, chapter 11. This involves so many people doing so many different things, rebuilding these walls, rebuilding the people of God, including gatekeepers like Akkub, Talmon and their brothers.
Nehemiah 11 is a reminder of the importance of every single person in the Kingdom of God. It’s a reminder to me that I’m one name. You are one name, and a long list of names of men and women who have walked with God faithfully doing whatever God called them to do, as gatekeepers, as Levites, as leaders, as whatever. That’s the beauty. God’s called us all in different ways to do different things as a part of his purpose to make his glory known among all the nations.
Your Name Matters to God
I just want to encourage you today for all who are in Christ, you’re a part of this long list of names, and your name counts. Your name matters to God, which is most important for sure, and your name counts. Your name matters in the purpose of God in the world. God’s given you parts to play.
God’s given you a significant and unique part to play in the spread of his glory among the nations. So we pray, oh God, help us all to be faithful, to play our parts, to play whatever part you’ve called us to do. God help us to be faithful today to do whatever you’re calling us to do in this or that job, in this or that family situation, in this or that neighborhood, or on-campus in this or that way.
Nehemiah 11:19 Calls Us to Walk Humbly
God, help us to be faithful to you, to follow you today, to be holy, pure, to live lives that are set apart, to walk humbly with you, to point others to you, to lead others to you. God give us boldness today to share the gospel we pray. And God, we pray that in the big grand overarching purpose that you are working all history toward, every nation, tribe, tongue, people gathered around your throne, singing your praises, God, we pray you help us to play our parts.
Praying for Hindu People
God, raise up somebody, some people, some names to go to the Saranami Hindis. We pray for the spread of the gospel to them through individual people. God, we pray that you to raise up individual names to go to 7,000 other people groups that are unreached by the gospel right now.
And thousands of others behind them, encouraging them and supporting them, and making it possible for them to go. God help us all in our praying. In our giving, in our going today. And our living to play our part in seeing disciples made in all the nations. And your glory spreading among all the peoples.
Called by God
God help us not to ever lose sight of the significance you have given to us. You have called our names, and you have invited us to participate with you in your purpose. All glory be to your name, oh God. For the significance you have given to our names, and our lives, and the purpose for which you have created us.
We love you God, and we pray all of this in light of Nehemiah 11:19. And the story of Akkub and Talmon and their brothers who kept watch at the gates who were 172. Amen.
View the 2022 McLean Bible Church Reading Plan.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
