Spend time in prayer and silence with God asking Him to meet with you and speak to you.
Bible Reading
In the first year of King 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 put it in writing: “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for Him at Jerusalem in Judah. Anyone of His people among you—may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem. And the people of any place where survivors may now be living are to provide him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.'” 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.
– Ezra 1:1-5
Devotion
The book of Ezra tells about the return of the Jews from exile in Babylon. The people completed and dedicated the new temple in 515 B.C. In 458 B.C. Ezra, the priest, returned to Jerusalem with another group of Babylonian exiles. He taught the people the law and reformed their religious life so other nations could see they were God’s chosen nation. In this first chapter, we clearly see God’s sovereign hand at work as He completes His ultimate purpose of redemption. The history of the return sets forth clearly the truth concerning God’s sovereign will. He compelled the most unlikely instruments to accomplish His will. Cyrus’ proclamation opened the door for their return. It was the result of divine dealing with him, of which he was conscious. Twice we see the phrase, “The Lord moved the heart…”
The Big Question
We don’t always understand the ways of God, but we are reassured that God is always at work carrying out His providential plan for His people. We also see that God is actively working in the hearts of people to accomplish His perfect will. Are you currently experiencing a desert experience in your spiritual walk? Are you wondering where God is as you struggle to make it through each day? How does Ezra’s account of God’s faithfulness encourage and inspire you today?
Conclude your time in prayer and silence reflecting on what God revealed to you today.