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.
O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Now I was cupbearer to the king.
TO PONDER:
This last Friday I had a fascinating conversation with my Uber driver in Melbourne. He was Ethiopian, in his early 30’s; a former banker who spoke four languages. He hated working in the banking sector and now works as a translator most of the time. When he needs a break from the intensity of the work, he works as an Uber driver. It was a fascinating story. But what struck me about his story was the burden he had for helping his people rebuild their lives after the last two years where Ethiopia has been at war with itself.
The fighting has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions more. My driver had personally lost 67 close family, friends and work colleagues. One of the real issues has been how to get financial aid to people when the banking system has been shut down. The only way to transfer money currently is through blackmarket bankers and they are taking a 50% cut of any funds transferred. This former banker was now working with NGO’s to set up a system where the money sent actually got into the hands of those who need it to rebuild. It’s a heavy burden he carries; a burden that is moving him to go home in a couple of months to help.
Nehemiah also carried a burden for his people. The Persian King Cyrus had issued an edict to allow the Israelites to return home to Jerusalem after decades in captivity. The people of God were finally free. But as Nehemiah heard the story of what was happening, his heart was burdened for those who were free but not living in freedom. He was heartbroken for those who had settled for complacency amidst the chaos. They had given up and it caused Nehemiah to weep and to pray and repent on behalf of his people. God placed on Nehemiah’s heart a burden for his people…a burden that would not go away unto he acted.
What is the 'burden' in our community or world that is heavy on your heart or causing you to weep? Like Nehemiah, God may be giving you a burden for the part of the puzzle of his vision that he needs you to work on or contribute to. The burden you bear often reveals the purpose God is calling you to passionately pursue for his glory. So what may that be for you today. Where is God calling you, moving you to act?
PRAYER:
Lord God, I believe you have placed me in this world for a reason, to play my part in your greater plan. Help me recognise the burden you are placing on my heart, and give me the courage to act, that your will may be done. Amen.
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”
TO PONDER
By definition, Christians are to love one another and offer loving service to Christ as the peace of God enters into our hearts and rules our lives. We can deploy our God given abilities in many and varied ways in our professions, our families, our neighbourhoods and communities but we don't always use them to serve God or others. With the peace of God directing us, we should use our skills and abilities in ways that serve God well. God calls all Christians into His peace and into one body, one church through which he uses us to bring his light and life into all the world.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, help me not only to put off those attitudes and behaviours that separate me from you but also to clothe myself with attitudes and actions that reflect who you are to the world. Help me to be thankful for all that you have done for me and to daily work towards unity and peace with others. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Francis Leung, LifeWay Epping.
“Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise.”
TO PONDER
Christians are all enlightened by Christ and are charged to live our lives attentively and with wisdom. We have to be careful and examine how we live. We are to live as children of light through complying with the truth. We are not to be spiritually foolish, but wise. A wise person will spend the time to understand what the will of the Lord is. A wise person will acquire wisdom from God’s Word and be led but the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of Truth. What is considered wise in this world ranges day after day, but the truth of the Word of God is eternal and unchanging.
PRAYER
Lord God, you are the source of all wisdom and truth. A wise life is to live according to your word. Help me to put aside the wisdom of this world and live in your wisdom and truth so that I might honour and obey you in all things. Amen
Today's devotion written by Francis Leung, LifeWay Epping.
“So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.”
TO PONDER
Although Christians have received new life from our Lord Jesus Christ, we still live in a world that does not honour or even know God and whose moral outlook is darkened by their ungodliness. As Christians we have an obligation to influence the moral standards of our society. But influence happens both ways. Christians can be overwhelmed by waves of ungodly trends popular in the society. We, as Christians, should not behave according to the commonly accepted practices of society. Ungodly people, through repeatedly ignoring the warnings of conscience, can easily lose those feelings of guilt that conscience produces. They then live solely to please themselves, without thought for others. Christians, by contrast, should act according to the teaching and example of Jesus. We must put off attitudes that belong to their former way of life. We must have a new way of life, where our thinking is changed and our practices examined in the light of our new life in God.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I pray that you would help me to work honestly, help others, control my tongue, and empower me with your Holy Spirit so that my life might be characterised by love, kindness, compassion, understanding and forgiveness. Amen
Today's devotion written by Francis Leung, LifeWay Epping
"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
TO PONDER
To say to live is Christ, obviously is not of our natural life, but of the life received through Christ. Life means Christ. Christ is our life. Life carries no meaning apart from Christ. As Paul wrote to the Philippians, he was helping them to see that the only goal worth living or striving for was Jesus Christ. That is why Paul can say, at the end of this life, when the sinful desires of our flesh are finally put to death along with our earthly bodies that we have not lost, but rather gained the one thing we sought in life - Fulness of life in Christ. That is why even our death would be our gain if we die in Christ because we also will be raided with him to full eternal life.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, living has no meaning apart from you. May you always be the primary motivation, inspiration, and goal of my life. May I always be prepared to lose everything if it means holding onto the surpassing greatness of knowing you as my Lord. Amen
Today's devotion written by Francis Leung, LifeWay Epping
"Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no-one will see the Lord.”
TO PONDER
We live in a society where the rights of individuals seem to be the supreme goal and people often end up in court to ensure their rights are upheld. Hebrews tells us not to give indulgence to passions that lead to litigations, strife, wars. This is the nature of the gospel. We are to make war with sin, not with people. We are to manifest a spirit of kindness toward all. Instead of yielding to contending passions and to a spirit of war; instead of seeking revenge on our persecutors and foes, make it rather our aim to be holy. Let that be the object of our pursuit, the great purpose of our life. The spirit of Christ would counsel us to strive to be holy that others will see Christ dwelling with us.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, when I feel oppressed or attacked by others, help me to walk the path of holiness rather than revenge. Create in me a clean heart O God and put a new and right spirit within me. Amen
Today's devotion written by Francis Leung, LifeWay Epping.
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
TO PONDER
When we, as sinners turn to Jesus Christ in faith, we are removed from the law’s power and given new life, the life of Christ. God declares us righteous. He gives us a righteousness that is not our own. He gives us a new status, a new standing, that makes us fit for the presence and purpose of our holy God. God now sees us as being ‘in Christ’, and accepts us not because of anything we have done, but because of what Christ has done for us. No one is ever saved in his own identity as possessing any true righteousness. We must renounce self and become identified with Christ who is the righteous one.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I pray that you would help me have a closer union with Christ. In being united with him in his death, help me to live free of the things of this world; ambition and the love of money, the pride and pomp of life, and the dominion of evil and selfish and hateful passions. Amen
Today's devotion written by Francis Leung, LifeWay Epping
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
TO PONDER
By those words Jesus intends to comfort us that we may not lose courage, even if we may find ourselves detested in the eyes of the world. God’s children should reflect the true character of their Father. We show ourselves to be citizens of God’s kingdom when we stand for Him against wrongdoing, even though we may suffer as a result. Jesus knows that the enemies of the Gospel would attack His small and despised flock. It was therefore His will to equip us with a sure defence that we might not give way. The faithful will be reproached for Christ's name. We will be persecuted for refusal to walk in ungodliness. But amidst that struggle we are blessed because our God is with us.
PRAYER
God, we are your children and we pray that although we know there will be persecution and slander because of our relationship with Christ, that we might also rejoice, knowing that we are united with Christ in our suffering and will also be united with him in his victory. Help us to enter your presence with humility, aware of our own unrighteousness and resting only in your mercy and grace. Amen
Today's devotion written by Francis Leung, LifeWay Epping.