“Remember the word that you commanded…” (Nehemiah 1:8a ESV)

When Nehemiah heard the report about the broken down condition of Jerusalem’s walls, he fasted and prayed with weeping. As he poured out his heart to God, he reminded God to “remember” His Word. This seems a little strange doesn’t it? Asking the omniscient God to “remember” His own Word? Yet, many biblical prayers contain similar language. Like a child who goes to his father saying, “You promised I could have a cookie if I ate all my broccoli.” Nehemiah called on the Lord to remember His promise that if they returned to Him, He would “gather them and bring them” back to Jerusalem and make His Name “dwell there” again. Nehemiah called on God to remember His promise. The truth is, God loves it when His people repeat His Word back to Him in prayer. Of course, this implies that we know His promises, so that we are able to pray them back to Him. What promises are you asking God to remember?