Focusing on Our all-powerful God

Quote from Lucado on God's mercy.

Have you ever created such a mess, you felt certain restoration would never come? Maybe years of arguing and manipulation destroyed the trust in your marriage or decades of addiction shattered the dreams you once held. Surveying the wreckage all around you, you feel stuck. Stuck in your mess, in your hurt, in the brokenness that has become your life.

Or perhaps you’ve watching the pain and self-destruction of someone you love and you fear they’re too far gone, the rubble piled at their feet too great, for them to ever experience the life God promised all who choose to believe.

Praise God, He’s promised this is never the case, thanks to our faithful and mercifully God and His radical, unfathomable love.

In Ezra chapter 1, we read about a major, unexpected (although divinely predicted) moment in history when a powerful king of a pagan land yielded to Creator God and abundantly blessed God’s people. Verses 1-2 state: “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:

“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.

(NIV)

Prior to this moment, God’s people had been living in exile for 70 years because of their blatant, persistent, unrepentant, and continual sin. For generations, God had warned His people of coming judgment , urging them to return to Him, but they refused and wickedness had pervaded the land. Violence, temple prostitution, even child sacrifice.

Can you imagine living in such an environment? Growing up surrounded by this evil?

To idly watch such destruction and dysfunction gain influence and momentum would not have been loving or just, and so, God intervened. Or more accurately, took a step back and gave His people what they wanted: Life without Him.

They soon discovered, however, that the control and “freedom” they sought wasn’t freedom at all. Separation from God didn’t produce the life they craved and fought for; rather, it stole that life from them and thrust them into increased bondage. Soon, their enemies the Babylonians invaded their country, ripping mothers and fathers, daughters and sons from the land, the temple, the home and the businesses, they loved.

For a time. 70 years, in fact, just as God had predicted through His prophet, Jeremiah. And once their “national timeout” so to speak concluded, the God of mercy orchestrated a return and restoration so astonishing it could only come from Him.

Psalm 130:7

If you continue reading in Ezra, you’ll learn Israel’s enemy not only released them, but abundantly blessed them as well. He commanded the people to give the returning exiles silver, gold, goods, livestock, and “valuable gifts.” And they did. King Cyrus also returned all of the precious and sacred items Nebuchadnezzar had stolen from the Temple prior.

In this, we see a few things:

God’s mercy by far exceeds our sin. Although you and I might experience consequences for our actions, we’re never stuck in the pit we created and fell into–except by choice. The moment we cry out to God, He’s there to rescue and redeem.

Not even the most powerful rulers of our time can thwart God’s plans. To the contrary, they are instruments in His loving and sovereign hands.

We belong to a generous, attentive God of abundance who has proven Himself faithful to every promise He’s made. Therefore, we can trust His every word, and perhaps most importantly, we can trust His heart.

Our–or our loved one’s–circumstances may feel overwhelming. The pit may seem insurmountably deep, the walls too steep, but God never asks people to “pull themselves up from their bootstraps” so to speak. Instead, He invites us to surrender.

To trust that He’s with us, working in us, has plans for us, and the power to bring those plans to pass, often in a way that will leave us and the watching world amazed.

Oh, what hope we have in Jesus! And that hope, as Scripture states, provides a solid anchor for our souls.

How might remembering God’s power to redeem and restore bring hope to your day and current challenges? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below. To hear more on Ezra chapter 1, make sure to check out the latest Your Daily Bible episode:

The Scepter of Judah (Genesis 49:10) Your Daily Bible Verse

Today’s Bible Verse: The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor. – Genesis 49:10   Want to listen without the ads? Become a BibleStudyTools.com PLUS Member today: https://www.biblestudytools.com/subscribe/   MEET OUR HOSTS:   JENNIFER SLATTERY is a writer and speaker who hosts the Faith Over Fear podcast. She’s addressed women’s groups, Bible studies, and writers across the nation. She’s the author of Building a Family and numerous other titles and maintains a devotional blog at https://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com   Follow Jennifer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/faith-over-fear/  https://www.facebook.com/JenSlatte https://www.instagram.com/slatteryjennifer/    CAROL MCCRACKEN is a Christian communicator who teaches women Biblical truths through real-life application and humor to connect them to their God-given purpose. Carol has been a Bible teacher for twenty years and served on church staff and in women's ministry for three decades.   Follow Carol: https://www.carolmccracken.com/   REVEREND DR. KYLE NORMAN is the Rector of St. Paul’s Cathedral, located in Kamloops BC, Canada.  He holds a doctorate in Spiritual formation and is a sought-after writer, speaker, and retreat leader. His writing can be found at Christianity.com, crosswalk.com, ibelieve.com, Renovare Canada, and many others.  He also maintains his own blog revkylenorman.ca.  He has 20 years of pastoral experience, and his ministry focuses on helping people overcome times of spiritual discouragement.   Follow Rev. Kyle: https://revkylenorman.ca/   JOY A. WILLIAMS is a writer and speaker who is amazed her first name became her life’s mission. As life happens in ways that baffle us or bring us joy, she loves exploring how those moments can bring us closer to God.  She is a member of the “First 5” writing team at Proverbs 31 ministries. As a licensed minister, she serves as a teacher for the Women’s Bible Study and the Married Couples Ministry at her church.  Joy is a wife and mother and she shares encouragement on the “Joy to the Soul” blog.  Subscribe to receive the newest posts and updates at joyawilliams.com.   Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest   Read Joy’s 7-day Bible reading plans: “Live Your Joy Story” and “When Easy Doesn’t Live Here: Living by Faith When Life Is Hard” on the YouVersion Bible app.   JESSICA VAN ROEKEL loves the upside-down life of following Jesus as she journeys to wholeness through brokenness. As an author, speaker, and worship leader, she uses her gifts and experiences to share God’s transformative power to rescue, restore, and renew. She is the author of Reframing Rejection: How Looking Through a Different Lens Changes Everything.   Jessica and her husband have two adult daughters spreading their wings, and two high schoolers, a son and daughter, fluttering their wings as they edge closer to the nest. Connect with her at welcomegrace.com and reframingrejection.com.   GRACE FOX is the award-winning author of 13 books, a popular Bible teacher at international women’s events, and a member of the “First 5” Bible study writing team (Proverbs 31 Ministries). She’s also been a career missionary for more than 30 years.   She and her husband have served in Nepal, at a year-round Christian camp on an island off Canada’s west coast, and currently co-direct International Messengers Canada, a missionary sending agency with 300 staff in 30 countries. They live fulltime aboard a sailboat in Vancouver, British Columbia. Married in 1982, they celebrate three grown kids and 13 grandchildren.   Learn about Grace’s books and subscribe to her free resources at https://www.gracefox.com   Follow her: https://www.fb.com/gracefox.author Learn more about ministry opportunities with International Messengers: https://www.im-canada.ca   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
  1. The Scepter of Judah (Genesis 49:10)
  2. Who Is Melchizedek, Anyway? (Genesis 14:18)
  3. What Is Jesus' Heart Like For Us? (Isaiah 42:3)
  4. Our Divine Call This Christmas (Genesis 12:3)
  5. How To Bear Lasting Fruit (John 15:5)

You might also enjoy the latest Faith Over Fear episode: Finding Courage When People Attack Us or Our Loved Ones:

And since I’m throwing out all this free content, why not tell you about another resource? Thanks to Wholly Loved’s Karen Greer and Jessica Brodie, who helped us convert our devotional to the necessary format, we can now offer our 90 day devotional free in ebook (PDF and MOBI) form! Find it HERE.

2 Comments

  1. What a wonderful reminder of all I have been give by God through the cross. If only I would remember to tap into it when circumstances become overwhelming. Today I will surrender my day to God and remember he does have a plan for me and is working in me. I am a work in progress.

    1. Blessings to you, friend! Father, thank You for Your inexhaustible grace poured upon us, Your beloved children. Thank You for Your enduring love and Your continual call to rest in You. Surround Marilyn with Your love and fill her with Your peace. Go before her in every battle she faces and walk beside her, speaking words of kindness and encouragement. Anchor her, immovable, in Your soul-anchoring truth. In the name of Your Son, our Savior, we pray, amen.

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