“…that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia…” Ezra 1:1
I love making instant mashed potatoes. Hey, what can I say, simple pleasures, simple minds. To me it’s a miracle of texture, process, and elemental transformation. I pour in this packet of seemingly ordinary white flakes, then some pre-determined liquids, and then the fun starts. But not until you start mixing. You see, without the stirring, it just sits there. As you do begin to stir though, those boring white flakes are changed at their base level. They become this fluffy, tasty potato goodness that can now be a foundation for all types of gravy. Hey, what can I say, I also grew up in the south where gravy is a major food group. For you bakers and cooks out there, have you ever really thought about the wonder of stirring? The act of perfectly combining several elements together in a way that creates a more holistic desired element? As we start out the book of Ezra, we see a powerful image of just this. God’s Word has been silent for 70 years as His judgement on a rebellious Israelite people saw them sold into Babylonian captivity. But now God is calling them out of captivity and back into the land He has given them. And as He does, He uses good king Cyrus to free them. And just how does He get His message to the good king? The same way that God communicates with every single one of his children here on this planet today…the power of His Holy Word. As Cyrus encounters the truth of God’s Word, we’re told it, “stirred up his spirit.” Let that simmer a bit. Cyrus was a basic element at rest until another powerful element was stirred in to change Him into a more desired holistic element. The Word of God entered his mind and found a receptive, faithful, obedient heart. And folks, when that combination is found in God’s mixing bowl, some serious stirring can occur. Cyrus doesn’t just hear God’s Word; He acts upon what it says. You see, God’s Word is not some motivational book meant to make us feel good about life, it is an instruction manual for living a life like Jesus Christ. As James pens in his Holy Spirit stirred words, “don’t just be hearers of the Word, but doers.” How do you react to God today? As His Words find their way into your mixing bowl of life does it just sit there, or does it get stirred into your life? You see, only through the power of God’s Holy Spirit can the stirring begin. And only as you call upon Jesus Christ as your Savior are you gifted and anointed with His Holy Spirit. If you have never called upon Christ as your Savior, today can be that day. Admit that sin has disrupted and even ruined and controlled your life. Understand that sin creates a barrier between you and God. But also know that God loves you so much He made a way for you to be united with Him in Heaven for eternity. He sent His only Son to this world, born of a virgin, to live a perfect life and be sacrificed upon a cross by the very sinners He came to save. Three days later God raised Him back to life, a sign that we too can be raised from the death of our sin. Call upon Jesus today in faith, believe that He is God and He alone can redeem you. And as you do, as you are redeemed by the Savior, you will become a new creature. You will now be infused by the Holy Spirt and praise God, the mixing and stirring can begin. Take in the power of God’s Word at every opportunity and watch Him stir you up to live in righteous obedience to its commands. And in this way, in this new life, you will experience an abundant life that you never knew existed…until you stir in Jesus, life is just flakes.
“Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you…” 2 Timothy 1:6
Comentários