The Good Hand Of God Through Active Faith

Devotion 9

(Ezra 3:1-7)

1Now when the seventh month came, and the sons of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem. 2Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brothers arose and built the altar of the God of Israel to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God. 3So they set up the altar on its foundation, for they were terrified because of the peoples of the lands; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, burnt offerings morning and evening. 4They celebrated the Feast of Booths, as it is written, and offered the fixed number of burnt offerings daily, according to the ordinance, as each day required; 5and afterward there was a continual burnt offering, also for the new moons and for all the fixed festivals of the LORD that were consecrated, and from everyone who offered a freewill offering to the LORD. 6From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD, but the foundation of the temple of the LORD had not been laid. 7Then they gave money to the masons and carpenters, and food, drink and oil to the Sidonians and to the Tyrians, to bring cedar wood from Lebanon to the sea at Joppa, according to the permission they had from Cyrus king of Persia.

On February 5^th, 2009 President Barak Obama gave the President’s Speech at the National Prayer Breakfast. In that speech he gave us a huge peek into his religious background, which also answers for some other things regarding his actions in the last several days, including the issue of abortion. I insist if you have not read it yet, that you read my blog from January 22, 2008 regarding this matter. Either way Mr. Obama’s call was for us to live out our faith. But for me his call is more of the echoing silence of nothingness which I continue to hear from those who make a claim but do not possess the call of God to salvation in Jesus. Regardless his call was understood by me and I can receive some of the truth which is in it, even though I still question the reality under which President Obama appears to live. I will return to this illustration and actually quote parts of this speech in a later devotion because I believe a latter passage will actually reveal some good and bad things regarding the speech.

In the above passage from Ezra 3:1-7 we see the Jewish people beginning to live out their faith. Cyrus the king of Persia has made the call for the people to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple (1:1-2). They have gone through the process of doing so (1:5-11), organized themselves (2) and in the seventh month have arrived at Jerusalem. The first thing I want to note is that Scripture never tells us exactly when Cyrus made the call, only that it was in the first year of his reign. But verse 1 of Ezra 3 is very clear as to when the Jewish exiles did arrive in Jerusalem. Now the point I am about to make is a point that will be made time and time again throughout these devotions in Ezra-Nehemiah. It is something that Scripture declares over and over. It is something which those who walk with God experience every day. Here it is…are you ready? God does not work on our time table.

Okay I just heard all the air get sucked out of the room you’re in. That’s right, let me repeat it again, God does not work on our time table. Why? Well, for several reasons. One is that we often rush like the fools into things which are not good or healthy for us. Second, we are only looking at things from our point of view and never really see the whole picture in the grand scheme of things. Third, even if we could see things from every possible vantage point we are far too selfish to be willing to sacrifice our own well-being for the sake of others. Forth, even if we were willing to sacrifice our own well-being it is often for the sake of prideful arrogance. Our nature of sin takes over at moments of choice and we would never be able to accept a time frame like that given by God in every situation without being overwhelmed by our godless attitude.

Learning to live within the time frame of God means to learn to live by faith. God can move like lightning in any situation, but God chooses to move like molasses most of the time so that we will either come to faith in Christ or that our faith would mature. In Luke 8:40-56 we are told the story of Jarius an official of the synagogue (v. 41) who had a daughter who was dying (v. 42). Jarius chooses to seek Jesus out, finds Him, and begs for Jesus to come to his house in order for his daughter to be healed (v. 42). In the process the crowd presses on the Lord and a woman who was ill herself is healed by just touching the helm of His cloak (vv. 42-44). Jesus stops and takes the time to find out who it was who reached out in faith and was healed (v. 45). Evidently the crowd was so big and the Jarius’ situation so desperate Peter asked basically, how could you know? (v. 45). The idea is given that Peter is attempting to push things along. The woman reveals herself, a conversation occurs and they continue their journey (vv. 46-48). Yet while the conversation is still going on very mournful news comes to Jarius, “Your daughter has died; do not trouble the Teacher anymore.” (v. 49). Jarius must have looked at Jesus in downtrodden horror. He just witnessed the miracle of healing, but now there was no hope of such a miracle. How could this be? You see Jarius could have looked at Jesus and asked, “Why didn’t you move a little faster?” or “How come you had to stop and help that pathetic woman?” He could have accused the Lord by saying, “I knew it! You don’t like people of organized religion, therefore you let my daughter die.” No Jarius didn’t do that. When Jesus saw his pain He states, “Do not be afraid any longer; only believe, and she will be made well.” (v. 50). Jarius then takes the Lord and His disciples to the house. Those who are at the house make fun of Jesus and His willingness to work a miracle, at which our Lord drives them out of the house. Then he raises the daughter from the dead.

So why did Jesus take His time with one situation and in the other do something immediate? If Cyrus made a call to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple, why did it take seven months to return? Why isn’t God working sooner or faster in your life or in my life?

It is at those moments when we can hear our Lord say, “Do not be afraid any longer; only believe…” (Luke 8:50). God does not work on our schedule. Rather He works to His glory. Things happen to benefit the proclamation of the gospel, not for our welfare. So as time passes, and circumstances which seem overbearing appear to take over, whether financial, marital, family life, carrier, home, work, friendships or church, we must respond in a way called faith. We will never be able to go anywhere in life if we don’t trust God first and foremost.

God Bless,

Steven