God's Favored Hand

Scripture:
"The king gave Ezra all he requested because the hand of the LORD his God was upon Him...For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel." Ezra 7:6;10

Observation:
When I read verses like this I am always captivated by them. Ezra walked the earth as a human display of God's empowerment. All that he asked for he received. God's hand was upon him and everyone knew it. He lived each day with tangible reminders of the fact that God did indeed exist and that His power was real and available to Him.

Application:
I always want to get to verse 6 before I get to verse 10. I want to see or experience a tangible encounter with God, then I will consider going to another level of obedience. Here is the problem with that, God placed His hand of favor on Ezra not to get him to obey Him, but because Ezra obeyed Him.

Ezra set his heart to study God's law, to live it out in his own life, and to teach others to do the same. He learned it, he applied it, and then shared it. Ezra got what he wanted in life because what he wanted in life was in alignment with what God was trying to accomplish around him.

Prayer:
My faith at times just feels so weak. I sit, look at my circumstances, and desire for something to happen. I want to live the adventure of the men I see in the scriptures, but often I am unwilling to sacrificially follow You in obedience first. I ask that You forgive my selfish ambitions. I pray that You open Your word to me that I might learn it, provide me the strength I need to apply it and give me the words I need to share it with others.