We (Mike and Amy) have been studying the book of Ezra together. It is set at the end of the Babylonian exile of the nation of Israel. After the Persians defeated Babylon, they allowed a remnant to return to their ancestral homeland of Jerusalem. The people of Judah had finally given their adulterous ways of worship. They were guided by the exhortations of the prophets Haggai and Zachariah, while God used Esther to spare the Jewish people still in Persia from mass extermination.
We have learned that God instills in his followers the will and the inspiration to accomplish His plans. Plus God’s timing is perfect and accommodates His people’s shortcomings.
In addition, Amy’s daily routine has included reading through the book of Philippians. Reading the same book in its entirety every day has brought new insights and a greater understanding.
Paul truly loved the church at Philippi. He told them that he held them in his heart and even yearned for them (see Phil 1:7-8). This must have been an incredible group of believers!
But the takeaway from the most recent reading was his encouragement to them to “rejoice in the Lord” (Phil 3:1 and 4:4). Not just to rejoice, but to rejoice in the Lord! The Christian life can be hard, uncertain, and sometimes even frightening, but lifting our eyes above them and fixing them on Jesus gives us a reason to rejoice.
What is the Lord showing you from His Word?