EZRA

When we wander from the Lord, and then start back to Him, we discover much that needs to be repaired. This repairing, due to “doing our own thing”, and resulting in backsliding, is the work of the Lord. If we attempt to patch things up and to cover up our own ways, then the labour is in vain. The “spiritual food” from Ezra is “repair God’s house”. Those who did the repairing were all them whose spirit God had raised to go up to build the house of the Lord”. “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it” (Ps. 127:1). Let us realise our helplessness apart from the working of God and see that if anything is to be accomplished, it will be accomplished because of,
God who works in you (Phil. 2:13)

This is our encouragement and on the ground of it we were exhorted to work with fear and trembling. That God dewlls in His people is a glorious fact, but it is also a great mystery. And He dwells in us for our good as well as for His own Glory. He helps our infirmities. He subdues our corruptions. He qickens our graces. He enables us to keep His precepts and observe His laws. We must work by the precept, which is our rule, and expect Him to put forth His power and enable us, which is our privilege. Beloved, what an unspeakable blessing is this, to have God working in us both to will and to do of His own good pleasure! Well may He require us to suffer great things and to do great things, and well may we say: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”.

Let us realise this fact today, and let us beseech the Lord to put forth His power in us more manifestly, and so bring every thought into subjection to Christ Jesus, what cannot the man do who has omnipotence working for him? What can we do without the putting forth of divine power in us? Jesus said that without Him we could do nothing.