The past few weeks at Salem, we have been exploring the life of Ezra. Ezra 7-8 is a powerful account of God’s favor on this man who meditated, obeyed, and taught others God’s Word. Six times in these two chapters we are told taht God’s hand is on Ezra.
God’s favor is unmistakeable. His favor comes as a result of Ezra being a student of God’s Word and the profound impact it had on his life.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king, to beautify the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem, and who extended to me his steadfast love before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty officers. I took courage, for the hand of the Lord my God was on me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me. Ezra 7:27-28
Did you catch that? Ezra gave all the credit for everything the king did for them to the Lord.
Ezra is not just an isolated case.
James, the half-brother of Jesus, gave credit to God.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” James 1:17
Paul, whom God used to write over half of the New Testament, continually gave God credit.
“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” Romans 11:36
Their examples inspire me to be a man of the Word. And the more I study, obey, and share God’s Word, the more He will lead me to give Him all the credit.
Watch this real-life example of how this happened among the Kimyal people.
