Using the words of a great systems analyst, this prayer is excellent when a group or task force must make a presentation to a decision-making body.  Several examples illustrate appropriate scenarios for this prayer:

–          Companies regularly apply for grants which are judged by a group of “readers.”  The readers  evaluate the components of each application and apply points based on a pre-set algorithm. 

–          A church task prepares a document that is to be submitted to the denomination for approval.

–          Groups often go before the city Planning Commission to ask for a zoning variance.

In each case, the long prayer in Nehemiah 1.5-11 boils down to the key request at the end:

                “Please grant me (us) favor in the sight of this man (the readers, the denomination, the planning                 commission)”

This is a very specialized prayer, but it is surprising how often it is useful. When the occasion arises have each person concentrate on a different aspect of “favor” – blessing on the evaluators, opening their eyes to your cause, making a good presentation worthy of favor.

See the upcoming post on 10/21/13 for an expansion on this prayer.