5 「上主─天上的上帝啊，你是至大可畏的；你向愛你並且遵守你誡命的人信守你的約。 6 上主啊，我日夜為你的僕人以色列人民呼求，請眷顧我，聽我的禱告！我承認我們以色列人犯了罪；我的祖先和我都犯了罪。 7 我們惡意反抗你，沒有遵行你的誡命，沒有守住你藉你的僕人摩西頒佈給我們的法律誡命。 8 求你記得你曾經告訴過摩西：『你們以色列人若對我不忠，我要把你們分散到別的國家； 9 但你們若回轉到我這裏來，遵行我的命令，我會帶你們回來；即使你們被流放到天涯海角，我也會帶你們回到這塊我選擇作為敬拜我的地方。』
Nehemiah 1:5-9 NIV
Then I said: ‘O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. 'Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’
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上帝雖然是公義的，但是祂也是慈愛的。祂的心意是盼望人人都悔改，回轉歸向祂，並遠離惡事。
這是尼希米的禱告，他抓住上帝告訴過摩西的話來禱告。『你們以色列人若對我不忠，我要把你們分散到別的國家；但你們若回轉到我這裏來，遵行我的命令，我會帶你們回來；即使你們被流放到天涯海角，我也會帶你們回到這塊我選擇作為敬拜我的地方。』
也因為這樣的禱告，使得尼西米回耶路撒冷建造城牆，好保護回歸的猶太人。同樣今日，我們也要鼓勵那些不小心犯罪的人回歸上帝面前。正如約翰一書1章9節：『如果我們向上帝認罪，他是信實公義的，他要赦免我們的罪，洗淨我們所犯的各種過錯。』
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