I mentioned to small group that I began reading the book of
Ezra and I wanted to share with you from today’s chapter. In chapter 4, the
enemies of Judah ask the Jews if they can help rebuild the temple & the
Jews deny their request. The enemies then HIRE people to deliberately frustrate
the Jews plans & discourage them. The enemies even write a letter to the
King informing him if the Jews are successful in rebuilding that the King’s
revenues will decrease. The letter also stated that if the King searched the archives
he would see the Jews have a history of rebellion. So the King orders the
rebuilding to cease and the Jews are “compelled by force to stop”.
The enemies paid
people to mess up the Jews lives. That seems a little extreme, doesn’t it? But
we all know it’s real. How often are people paid off to keep people out of
power in government? How often are people paid to keep people out certain
zoning areas? How often have we made people mad by not allowing them into our
plans or our lives and they have deliberately gathered people on “their side”
to discourage us and frustrate our plans? Have you ever felt like you were on
the right track only to have someone write a letter to your boss telling them to
look closer at your faults? How often are we doing something good for God and
then all hell breaks loose? How often are plans that we feel are from God
halted by actions (or force) from others?
This is why reading the bible is exciting to me. It shows me
that I am not facing anything new. Many have faced and overcame the challenges
I experience and I can look to see what they do to overcome. I can evaluate
their actions by mine and adjust if so be. (Not that I will always do as they did to
overcome, but you know what I mean).
Just wanted to share this with you all.
