20 August 2009 Devotion for Today "Blessed" Ezra 7:27-28

20 August 2009 Devotion for Today "Blessed" Ezra 7:27-28

27Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers [said Ezra], Who put such a thing as this into the king's heart, to beautify the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, 28And Who has extended His mercy and steadfast love to me before the king, his counselors, and all the king's mighty officers. I was strengthened and encouraged, for the hand of the Lord my God was upon me, and I gathered together outstanding men of Israel to go with me to Jerusalem. (Ezra 7:27-28)

Today I feel blessed. Actually I don't just feel it, I know that I am. There are times that I don't feel like I feel right now, but that doesn't dissuade me from knowing the truth. This year I have experienced some incredible blessings in my life. I am so thankful of the wife that God gave me- for the wonderful helpmate she has been for me for going on thirty years. So much of my feeling of blessing today has to do with what I see God doing in the lives of my children. They all have made me so proud and I rejoice everyday in what God has allowed my wife and I to accomplish through them. I am also blessed to be pastor of a wonderful congregation that has shown more love to me than I probably have shown them. I'm surrounded by the blessings of extended family and friends who have never ceased to be loving and supportive, encouraging and helpful. What more could one man ask for? This does not mean everything has been what I would have liked over the years. There have been many times of testing and struggle, and a few heartaches along the way. But the blessings far outweigh the hurts and rejoice that God has saved me. If I should die not long after I write this, I rejoice to tell you how blessed I have been and bless God for all that He has shared with me and allowed to happen in my life.

I identify with Ezra this morning who speaks of the blessings of God in his life. His life and ministry were not without struggle, however. Making the hard journey with his people from their Babylonian captivity back to Jerusalem was the easy part. When they arrived they found their legacy in ruins, but were determined to rebuild it. They met with much opposition, political turmoil, and bureaucratic headaches nearly everyday. But they persisted and were rewarded by the favor of the king. This was incredible in itself, because King Darius was the same king who allowed Daniel to go to the lion's den because very attentive to his own record keeping. A lapse between kings threatened the whole Jerusalem project, yet God kept it from falling through the cracks. The new king, Artaxerxes, (later Esther's husband), was delighted to take the credit for the magnificent Jewish Temple and restored city. He almost appears as a follower of the Jews judging by the things that he writes. However, in the end, God gets the glory and Ezra and his people receive the blessings for the hand of God through the whole situation.

It is easy to get focused on the negative things that happen in our lives to feel discouraged. One way to overcome this is to realize how much God has blessed you. The more you focus on your blessings instead of your faults or the faults of others, the happier you will be and the more joy you will bring to those around you. God will be praised and glorified in your life, and the more that you do that, the more disposed God will be in bringing more blessings your way.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for the blessings you have allowed to come into my life. I know that I do not deserve any of them, but I take this moment to say thank you. I ask Lord that you will help me to take full advantage of them for Your glory, that I may use them to bring blessing to others. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Have a blessed day!