Today in God's Word April 2023
East Tallassee Church of Christ
April 11, Ezra 8
"The hand of our God is for good on all who seck him. and the power of his wrath is against
all who forsake him.". Ezra 8:29 A vivid metaphor makes an abstract seem more concrete, more real. For example, how does a giant financial conglomerate like an insurance
company get your attention and vour dollars? They develop an advertising campaign that uses a memorable or emotionally charged metaphor. Since our attention spans are quite short, a one-line slogan delivers the message
the company wants you to believe about them. You remember some of them, don't you? One health insurance company claims to be "the caring company." Another assures us that they will be right beside us, "like a good neighbor." Still another ran a very successful ad campaign for many years. assuring us that we're in good hands" with them. I hope that when you have to
file a claim with one of them or one of their competitors. their service is as good as their slogan at giving you a warm, fuzzy sense of
security. Ezra used the metaphor o God's hand to describe several aspects of God's blessings on his people in Ezra 8. "By the good hand of our God on us." the missing and needed Levites
came to the group Ezra led back to Jerusalem. Ezra was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers to protect them as they made the dangerous journey. He had told the king, "the hand of our God is for good on all who seek him." After the four month journey ended with their safe arrival in Jerusalem, Ezra said, "The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushes by the way." Ezra was a highly qualified and capable leader. But he gave all the glory for their success to God, assuring his company that their provision and protection on their long
journey was in much bigger hands than his own. Ezra 8 is another good example of why it is not wise to skip over a chapter that looks like nothing more than a long list of unfamiliar names and an inventory of offerings and sacrifices. Did you notice the name "Hattush" in the list of returnees? He was the named descendant of David, the great-great-grandson of Zerubbabel. His name among the travelers reminds us that God is faithful to keep all his promises. The Davidic line was still intact after
vet another threat to its continued existence. There's also a great example about what we
should do when we face a daunting task or a dangerous mission. When we are aware of our
vulnerability, it's a good time to fast and pray and humble ourselves betore sod as we seek his hand on us to protect and help us. There's another good reminder that after we pass
through a time of stress and strenuous effort. we need some cowntime to rest. Atter the tour month journey to Jerusalem. Ezra and his people rested three days before they got to the business that brought them to Jerusalem. And these are just some examples of hidden gems buried just beneath the surface of the narrative when we take time to meditate on what the text
tells us. Imagine with me how different our lives could be if we lived from day to day with a greater awareness and more confidence in God's hand on us. Fears would melt away. Confidence would grow. We would know more joy, peace and comfort. We'd have deeper conviction and trust that God's enabling, providing and protecting hand is still on his people. One New Testament passage puts it this way: "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." Would you join me today in
renewed trust and obedience to this principle? When we're in God's hands, we're really in the
best hands of all.
Copyright @ 2023 by Michael B. McElroy. Used
by permission. All rights reserved.
Kommentare