A
reminder for today
I
felt encouraged because the gracious hand of the LORD my God was on me. (Ezra
7:28)
How are you my dear friend? Another week awaits us as we
journey towards a life of change. I guess doing everything right can be quite a
challenge and I presume we are all struggling with it. This verse stood out today,
because I feel that we might always need a little encouragement and we might
find ourselves in a position where we need to encourage other.
In our quest to live a life of change understanding the Word
of the Lord is vital, but our attitude is just as important. You see it is the
way we attempt to change our lives that matters. We could accept this challenge
but we could give up in the first week which means that instead of trying to
change the world we allowed the world to change us.
Attitude is vital. God wants to let us know that His
gracious hand is on us which means that we are in the fortunate position to
live a life dedicated to Him and to dedicate our lives to change within and
around us.
That hand of God was
upon Ezra because he devoted himself to three things: studying the Word,
observing or keeping it, and teaching it.
If we look through
the Bible to find out why a person lays a hand upon another, we find that it is
to give a blessing, anoint for ministry, or to ask for healing. David prayed in Psalm 139 saying the
knowledge of the hand of God upon him was too wonderful for him, too lofty to
attain to. When an Apostle laid hands on
someone it was representative of God laying His hand of anointing or healing
upon them. Think of the times Jesus
reached out and touched the leper or the paralytic. The results were instant
wholeness. The touch of His hand on the
funeral bier brought the young man inside to life.
When I think of God’s
hand upon me it sends chills down my spine.
Not because I seek a sensation, but because I realize the awesome
privilege and power that comes with His touch.
It caused the Persian king to give Ezra all that he asked for. Why was God’s hand upon Ezra? He devoted himself to study, obey and teach
the Word of God. It wasn’t just a
knowledge pursuit that drove Ezra, but a desire to know and obey His Maker. God rewards that kind of a seeking heart with
the touch of His hand. God can invest some
of His power in a man like that, because the power will be used for the glory
of God. Ezra didn’t use his favor with
the king to become wealthy, but to restore the Temple treasures and teach the
Word of God. The things of God were foremost in his heart and life.
We desperately need
the gracious hand of God upon us. We
need His touch so that our witness is received in the community. We need the favor that the touch of His hand
brings. We need His touch to convict us
of sin and draw us continually closer.
God’s hand was upon Ezra because of Ezra’s devotion to God and to God’s
word. For many of us it is a daily chore
instead of a sacred privilege, a daily duty instead of a holy honor in which we
meet with our Lord. The gracious hand of
God was upon him, for he was a man of the Word.
So let us step into change as we are people of the Word
of God, studying it and living it our so that we can inspire and encourage
those around us and bring them back to the Lord.
Lord give us the wisdom and understanding to study your
Word and live it out in our daily lives. Help us to make your Word part of our
lives so that we will infect those we meet with your amazing grace and stir
within them a need to know You and a desire to change their ways. Let us be
your ambassadors as we carry your Word with us wherever we go and show your
love as we live lives of change.
Have and awesome day dear friend of Jesus
Cheers
