By the Good Hand of Our God...

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,

A wonderful sister in Christ, a short while back, pointed out how encouraging the last verse in chapter 7 of the Book of Ezra was to her because it spoke of the good hand of God upon Ezra. I am back in Ezra this morning and remembered what she had said and noticed all the verses in both chapter 7 and 8 that spoke of God's hand.  It seems to be a favorite expression of Ezra's.  I think it is a good one to notice...it reminds us that our successes in ministry or in life are all from Him.  He not only gives us what we need for the journey but also guides our steps and does the work.

No matter who we are or what we have been given by God, we can do nothing that brings God glory unless His good hand is upon us guiding us into His will. It tells us also in Ezra 7:14 that the law of God was in Ezra's hand.  He brought to the people what they needed...the word of God.  I have to say I feel similarly to Ezra about the word of God.  I rarely go anywhere without it. His word is my comfort and my armor. Hoping you are blessed today by the good hand of God upon you.

this Ezra came up from Babylon; and he was a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given. The king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.--Ezra 7:6

God's hand provided...

And Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. On the first day of the first month he began his journey from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.--Ezra 7:8-10


God's hand guides us on our journey. 

Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem,  and has extended mercy to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. So I was encouraged, as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me; and I gathered leading men of Israel to go up with me..--Ezra 7:27-28

God's  hand is encouraging...

Then, by the good hand of our God upon us, they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli the son of Levi, the son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, with his sons and brothers, eighteen men;  and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons, twenty men;  also of the Nethinim, whom David and the leaders had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinim. All of them were designated by name.--Ezra 8:18-20

God's hand is good and brings us what we need.

Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions.  For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.”  So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer. --Ezra 8:21-23

God's hand is on those who humbly seek Him.  His hand is protective.  But His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.  Seek the Lord first in everything...He will guide you and direct you with His righteous right hand.

Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. And the hand of our God was upon us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambush along the road.  So we came to Jerusalem, and stayed there three days--Ezra 8:31-32 

God's hand delivers us.  


Love

Mom