Dear Missionary Lady,
Greetings in the name of our enabling God. “Enabling” is not always a good term. Sometimes it is used of friends or family members who purposefully or inadvertently allow others to make damaging decisions. God, of course, never does that type of enabling, but He does purposefully help His children to follow through on good decisions.
As Ezra shared testimony about the rebuilding of the temple, he gave this acknowledgement regarding God’s work in it: “And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me” (Ezra 7:28).
Ezra led an amazing work, but Ezra was merely a willing servant. He was not the enabler of the work. The work that was accomplished, as Ezra rightly understood, was incredible. Who would have thought that such a thing could happen? “The king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him” (v. 6). Artaxerxes released a portion of Israel to return, including the priests, Levites, and singers needed for worship (v. 7). He allowed anyone who wanted to go to Jerusalem to make the trip (v. 13).
The king wrote a letter which he sent along as a public decree of his support. In that decree, he declared Ezra’s mission to be authorized by the king (v. 14). He gave great offerings of silver and gold (v. 15-16) – gifts from the foreign government and citizens. These gifts allowed worship to resume quickly (v. 17), and there were no restrictions on how the money needed to be spent (v. 18). He sent vessels to use in worship (v. 19) and a blank check to purchase anything else that might be needed (v. 20). The king’s treasurers abroad were instructed to quickly grant to Ezra whatever he needed (v. 21-22).
Artaxerxes was not merely allowing the work to go on, he urged that it be done "diligently” according to God’s command (v. 23). Furthermore, he made it illegal to tax the servants of God (v. 24), and he gave Ezra authority to set up civil government (v. 25). He also threatened anyone who would oppose the work with banishment, imprisonment, or seizure of goods (v. 26).
Whatever prayer meeting went on prior to the king’s declaration must have been something! But surely Ezra and the other devoted servants could not have imagined such a robust response from the king. I would venture to say that God did “exceeding abundantly above all that [they could] ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).
It was all God! God made the plan and conveyed the plan to Ezra. Then God gave Ezra all the practical help he needed to carry out the mission he had been given. God stretched out His good hand to enable Ezra.
Your mission is different from Ezra’s. It may seem vast and multi-faceted, requiring more strength, wisdom, and resources than you have. But God is the same. As He did with Ezra, so He can do with you. He can stretch out His good hand of blessing and enablement. He can provide all the resources. He can give you all the spiritual guidance as well as all the practical help to carry out His plan. I pray that He will do so and that you will be able to rejoice in His great work. May you be strengthened by His hand.
Love in Christ,
Peggy Holt
member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA
No comments:
Post a Comment