The Lord had filled them with joy by changing the attitude of the king of Assyria. (Ezra 6:22)
HAVE YOU EVER PRAYED that God would change the attitude of a person or of a group of people? Perhaps someone in charge needed to listen to God more, or a group of people, even a congregation, needed to seek God’s leadership more fervently. Perhaps through these prayers, you too were changed.
In Ezra’s lifetime, God changed the attitude of the king of Assyria in order to get his temple rebuilt and finished according to God’s specifications. In fact, God used three kings to accomplish his purpose of rebuilding the temple. God shows us in this passage that he can work through unlikely circumstances. He can change the perspectives of others and give us the proper perspective all at the same time.
We can never say enough about God’s sovereignty. He either knows what he is doing, or he doesn’t. We think we can rationalize, even spiritualize, everything God does in life and ministry, but we would be better off not to try. We are not God. And, since this is the case, we can take the opportunity to believe that he knows what is best, even when things may not make sense in this life.
You never know how God will accomplish his work. Maybe it’s you whom God desires to work through today. God will accomplish his work, and may he do it through us, not despite us.
Be filled with joy because of God’s ability to transform all things!
Jim Dunn is the vice president of church relations for the Wesleyan Investment Foundation. He resides in the Indianapolis area.
© 2018 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.
