For seven days they celebrated with joy the Feast
of Unleavened Bread, because the Lord had filled them with joy by changing the
attitude of the king of Assyria, so that he assisted them in the work on the
house of God, the God of Israel. 6:22
Footnote: There are many ways to pray for God's help.
Have you ever considered that God would change the attitude of a person or
group of people? God is infinitely powerful, his insight and wisdom transcend
the laws of human nature. While you must always change your attitude as a first
step, remember that he can change the attitude of others.
Praise be to the Lord, the God of our fathers, who
has put it into the king's heart to bring honor to the house of the Lord in
Jerusalem in this way and who has extended his good favor to me before the king
and his advisers and all the king's powerful officials. Because the hand of the
Lord my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leading men from Israel to go
up with me.
Footnote: Ezra praised God for all that God had done for
him and through him. Ezra had honored God throughout his life, and God chose to
honor him. Ezra could have assumed that his own greatness and charisma had won
over the king and his princes, but he gave the credit to God. We, too, should
be grateful to God for our success and not think that we did it in our own
power.
Keep reading -- 84 days left!
All footnotes taken from the Life Application Study Bible, NIV
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