Ezra 7:27, 28 (ESV)
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.
A Theme to Remember:
The king referred in this passage was Artaxerxes who granted Ezra’s request to return to Israel and rebuild the temple. This is an example of how the Lord can use anyone to aid a praying believer, even those who otherwise have no interest in the one true God but whose wealth or influence can be used for a holy cause.
Words to Remember:
The person who has stopped being thankful has fallen asleep in life.
–Robert Louis Stevenson