What Is Your Request?

Good morning, friends.
I trust you are well.

This morning, I sat with my devotion, and I found myself in Nehemiah 2. And honestly… God just paused me there.

It felt personal.

The kind of moment where you know this is not just something you read… this is something you respond to.

Nehemiah was a cupbearer to King Artaxerxes.

And if you think about it, his role was not a small one.

He served wine to the king.
And wine… well, wine is for joy. For celebration. For good moments.

So naturally, Nehemiah’s presence was supposed to reflect that.

He was supposed to be the one who brought ease into the room. Lightness. Cheer.

But on this particular day… his face told a different story.

The king noticed.

“Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This is nothing but sorrow of heart.”

And I paused there.

Because sometimes, no matter how strong we try to appear…
what is in our heart will eventually show.

Nehemiah explained.

He had heard about Jerusalem…
how the walls were broken…
how the gates were burned.

And even though he had not been there himself, something about it sat heavy on his heart.

This was the place of his fathers.
The place of legacy.
The place of identity.

And it was in ruins.

And then… the king asked him something.

A simple question, but not really simple.

“What do you request?”

That question stayed with me.

Because as I read it, it felt like God was asking me the same thing.

Abiola… what do you request?

Not what are you thinking about.
Not what are you worried about.
Not what are you hoping might happen.

What do you actually want?

And this is the part that really touched me.

Before Nehemiah answered…
he did something very quick, but very powerful.

“So I prayed to the God of heaven.”

Right there.
In that moment.
Before speaking.

He prayed.

He didn’t rush to answer.
He didn’t speak from emotion.
He didn’t speak from pressure.

He aligned first.

And then… he spoke.

He asked for permission to go and rebuild Jerusalem.

But he didn’t stop there.

He asked for:

Time

Letters for safe passage

Resources (timber for the work)

Protection (the king’s army to go with him)

He asked… completely.

Not halfway.
Not vaguely.
Not timidly.

And the Bible says:

“The king granted him what he asked, because the good hand of my God was upon me.”

As I sat there, God was speaking to me again.

You’re stepping into a new season…
a new month…
a new level.

What is your request?

And not just casually.

But intentionally.

With clarity.
With boldness.
With alignment.

Sometimes we pray, but we are not specific.
Sometimes we desire, but we don’t articulate it.
Sometimes we hope, but we don’t actually ask.

But God is saying:

Ask.

And like Nehemiah:

Pause first

Pray for alignment

Then speak clearly.

Pray with me.

Lord, as we come before You,
help us to know what to ask for.

Give us clarity.
Give us boldness.
Give us alignment.

Let Your good hand be upon us,
and grant our requests according to Your will.

Amen.

God bless you.
And as you go through today…

Take a moment.

And answer the question:

What is your request?