Thursday, July 20, 2006
I never really liked TV game shows, until my son got me interested in one. It comes on after the evening news, which is what I watch on television. Maybe you have seen it - Jeopardy. What an appropriate title for a show that comes on right after the world news. There are three contestants who are given several categories, ranging from U.S. Presidents to Cat Food. First, a contestant picks a dollar value question, and the host gives the answer to the question in that category. Then the three contestants vie to see who can give the right question first, because the right answer is usually a question (if you understand that). Some of them do very well and they win lots of money. I saw one man who won fifty thousand dollars, but others just fold. I said to my son. "Look at some of those people. They wind up in a hole with their money. How do they get on the show?" My compassionate son reminded me, "Dad, it's hard to come up with right answers when you have all that pressure on you."
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Right Answers Under Pressure."
We all know the feeling of the Jeopardy contestants. The pressure is on, and the right answer is needed. Maybe you are in a conversation with your boss or your parents, or you're dealing with one of your children on a hard issue; you're trying to speak to a friend about the Lord, or you're in a delicate situation and the right answer is real important.
Nehemiah knew that feeling. Our word from the word of God is in Nehemiah 2:1-5. Nehemiah, the king's cupbearer, was a Jewish exile in Persia. He'd heard of the shape that his city, Jerusalem, was in and he had a burden from the Lord to go back and rebuild his city. He knew he would need the king's help. He knew he would need time off. He didn't quite know how he would bring it up with the king. "I took the wine," the Bible says, "and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, so the king asked me, 'Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.' I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, 'May the king live forever. Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?' The king said to me, 'What is it you want?" Here's the drum roll. "Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king." From this point on, the king becomes his ally in this great, historic cause. Here is a conversation that actually changed the course of history.
Maybe your issue won't be that important, but you do need God's help in that important conversation. Here's how he displays his hand in important conversations. First, there's a divine nudge. Nehemiah had been praying about this situation for some time, so God said, "There is a need I want addressed through you, Nehemiah." He'll put a burden on your heart. Second, there's a natural opportunity. You think, "How in the world am I going to get into this?" Ask God for a natural opportunity. Nehemiah was asked the magic question, "What is it you want?" Ask God for an open door, and then look for the openings. Third, there's an inspired answer. Nehemiah gave a tremendous answer to the king's question. It launched a whole change of events. After you're done, you'll say, "Who said that?" God gave you the answer. The key is what Nehemiah said, "I prayed to the God of heaven, and then I answered."
Talk to the God of heaven before you talk to that person on earth. Connect yourself to the throne room of God. Get prayed up, and even if you're scared, go ahead to the opportunity that God is opening up. We're all playing Jeopardy and coming up with right answers under pressure, but we have a direct pipeline to the One who has all the right answers. Let Him come up with your answer.