Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying - Ezra 1:1
"Middle of nowhere!", "Clueless of what's happening in my life", "How did I end up here?" Do those phrases sound familiar? All of us have been there. Or when you see the brokenness and chaos in the world, you wonder, "Is the God in heaven know/see all this"? or you might go to the extreme of "Is there a God at all?"
Well, you are not alone and this is not new. The book of Ezra and Nehemiah narrate one such continuous story to the extent that in the Hebrew Bible, they are one book. Zerubbabel rebuilt the Temple followed by Ezra rebuilding the Spiritual life of Israelites and Nehemiah rebuilding of the wall.
Israelites have been in Babylonian captivity for ~70 years now. They even got used to the pagan lifestyle and comfort of Babylon (kind of 'Stockholm syndrome'). They forgot the God who redeemed their ancestors from a much worse, longer slavery from Egypt, forgot their life in Jerusalem, forgot why and how they ended up here (2 Chr 36:20-21) and forgot the covenant keeping God's promise of redemption but God did not forget.
Out of nowhere, Ezra 1:1 pops up "that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled"! God's own people who received the promise have forgotten but the ONE who promised neither forgets nor gives up. Faithful God of a faithless, sinful generation. While God's justice brought Babylonian captivity, His Mercy will redeem.
Cyrus, the pagan king of Persia's heart is stirred so that the Word of God might be fulfilled. Zerubbabel rebuilt the temple; 60 years later Ezra rebuilt the Spiritual life of Israelites and 13 years later Nehemiah rebuilt the wall. In the 60 year gap between Zerubbabel and Ezra queen Esther reigns in Persia. So many different events spread over a period of ~100 years in random places and in the lives of random people but all towards one purpose "so that the Word of God might be fulfilled"!
Is there a long awaited promise in your life yet to fulfil? Is your heart weary and tired with the wait or like Israelites, you even forgot the promise itself? Or you held onto the promise but wandering away from the God who promised? 'Middle of nowhere and clueless' are the perfect times to repent, return and trust in the SOVEREIGNITY of God! The one who promised is faithful (Heb 10:23) and HE who began the good work will accomplish it in HIS time (Phil 1:6).
But, do you know Jesus personally? Not just know about HIM but know HIM? Do you know HIS Word well enough to even know His promises? Do you realize that HIS promises are not just blessings to stop with you but overflowing blessings for you to influence and impact the world around you?
When was the last time it costed you something to love God, sacrificially? When was the last time you fasted for days, went on your knees in tears and waited at HIS feet in surrender? God can send someone to rebuild the Temple and the Wall, but your life is in your hands. And God knows we can't do this on our own and that is why HE sent Jesus Christ. For the rebuilding of your life, you need to believe Him with all your heart, accept HIM as your personal savior, be baptized and be not a mere Christian but a Witness. Not the way you've know him all along, worshipped him all along, not with vain repetition of creeds or prayers from books but worship Him truly from the bottom of your heart according to knowledge in the Word of God (Rom 10:2)
Waiting is no fun. But, when you have absolute TRUST in God's SOVEREIGN plan for your life, you have hope to face the future, Shield of faith to defend against the fiery arrows coming at you, Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God (Eph 6:17) to fight the enemy who is trying to topple you down. Remember, our fight is never with flesh and blood (Eph 6:12) and you cannot win it with the armor of the world. Today,
Would you rise up from the ashes trusting in God's sovereign plan for your life?
Would you seek a deeper, meaningful relationship with HIM?
If you've known HIM merely as God, would you get closer to know HIM as your father with whom you can simply converse like a child!
Rebuild your Spiritual life first to inherit the Temple of God and the Walls of protection HE has built for you. May the eyes of your heart be open to HIS presence deep in you and His promises that never fail. That is Salvation!
Blessings for the day and week ahead. Go and be a witness!
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