Read: Ezra 4-7
Focus Verse: “Now if it pleases the king, let a search be made in the royal archives of Babylon to see if king Cyrus did in fact issue a decree to rebuild this house of God in Jerusalem.” (Ezra 5:17a).
Devotion: What a reversal! After returning the Israelites begin rebuilding the temple. There are naysayers who request the king check the records, and they see that Israel has been rebellious, so the king puts an end to the temple rebuild. However, Israel turns it around when they request to check the records of king Cyrus, to which they discover a decree to rebuild the temple and that Persia will pay for all of it too! Everything is flipped upside down! The people opposed to this are even ordered to help! It took time though, years elapsed in between before this reversal, but in the end God triumphed and turned their sadness into joy!
Pray: LORD You are the God of reversals. You take our sadness and turn it into joy. Help me have patience in the chaos knowing You will one day make all things right. Amen.
Additional Scripture: “The joy of the LORD is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10)