EZRA 1, 1, 5
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:
Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had moved—prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem.
TO PONDER:
Have you ever felt that God is silent in your life? Have you ever felt you are living in a time where things are changing and you have no control over it? Where life is a battle and full of disruption? Where you feel marginalised and alone?
The people of God experienced the same thing. Taken into captivity, they were removed from everything that was important to them, their home, their people, their place of worship. In exile, everything had changed. A whole new normal had been imposed on them with new rhythms and patterns in life. God seemed far away...their prayers seemed to remain unanswered.
The book of Ezra reminds us that in those moments, God is still moving. God is still faithful to his promises. The people of God had been in exile for 70 years. But God had promised through the prophet Jeremiah that they would return home, and God moved the heart of a pagan King Cyrus, to make that happen. Then God moved or stirred up the hearts of a remnant of people to return home, to accomplish what God has purposed. Not only did God move the hearts, he provided the resources to fulfil what he was moving hearts to do!
Where is God stirring your heart? Where is God moving you forward, nagging away and putting a burden on your heart to do something that will accomplish his purposes in the world? Is God putting a person's name on your heart that God needs you to have a conversation with? Is God nudging you to a new ministry that brings life to those who are stuck, hope to those who are discouraged, his presence to someone who feels alone? Will you respond to God's push, as enormous and overwhelming as it may feel, knowing that God will resource and bless you with what you need to accomplish it? When God stirs, he is calling you to move and act!
PRAYER:
Lord prepare my heart for what you have for me next and give me a heart of faith to go where you call me to go, and to do what you call me to do. Amen.
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