Tues.’s Devo - When God Moves

Read: Ezra 1:1-2:70, 1 Co. 1:18-2:5, Ps. 27:7-14, Pr. 20:22-23 Jeremiah had prophesied that Jerusalem would be taken captive to Babylon, but at the end of 70 years, they would return. (Jer. 29: 10) It is time to do that so God moves king Cyrus’s heart to send the Jews who wanted to go back to Jerusalem to build God a house. He would supply all the money and supplies. When God is ready to move he will cause your enemies to bless you. Cyrus gave them all the instruments that had been taken from the first temple and let them take them back. In all the long list of names that went back I noticed Mordecai. We’ll see him again as a much older man in Esther’s story. All the fathers are dead but their children will carry on their legacy. The children of the priest would have to learn how to be priests. The total that came were 7,337 people. That’s a good Bible number! Psalms 27 is one of my favorites. It will pick you up when you feel attacked. One of the themes in our Psalms and Proverbs today is to wait on the Lord. In Ezra, they had waited 70 years for God to move. When He did it was quick and powerful. God is our deliverer! You may have been praying for something for a while and it doesn’t look like anything is changing, but just wait…God will do something quick and powerful for you and me! Paul does his best to describe God’s upside down kingdom. It looks foolish to the world, but it is the glory of God. Lord, help us to wait for You to move. Soften the hearts of the people we are witnessing to and deliver them from the world’s wisdom.