Clear Eyes and Full Hearts

 Read Nehemiah 1:1-11

• Take a moment to discuss the context of the book of Nehemiah. What has taken place at the beginning of chapter 1?
• How did Nehemiah react to the news about Jerusalem in verse 4? What do we learn about him through his reaction?
• Nehemiah addresses God in verses 4-11. What are the different elements that Nehemiah includes in this prayer? What do we learn about the character of God in this prayer?
• Nehemiah took time to address God in tears when things got hard. What sorts of things do you turn to, instead of God, in order to make sense of what is happening around you? What aspects of Nehemiah’s prayer might be helpful for us as we face our current crises?
• Nehemiah made a confession of sin in verses 6-7. Why did he feel called to take responsibility for the sin of his people? How can we also take responsibility for the sin we see around us, even if we weren’t directly involved? What do we need to confess in light of what happened this week in our nation?
• Nehemiah was filled with the Word of God, but often we allow ourselves to be filled and flooded by other things. What might we need to let go of/do less of this week in order to make room for God’s Word? What are some practices/habits that help you to be filled with the Word of God?