How many times when God does something good in your life do you stop and praise Him?

In a culture absorbed with itself and pride, gratitude to God is often missing. There is a constant stream of seemingly endless messages about what we deserve and how we need to elevate our desires and self. Tag on to the normal pressures of life, and you get a great recipe for entitlement that leaves no room for gratefulness.

Ezra here has been miraculously granted the opportunity to rebuild the temple for the Jews that have returned to Jerusalem after being gone for so long after they had been moved from their homeland for hundreds of years. God had moved on the king’s heart and set up this impossible situation.

The heart of Ezra is moved with praise because he recognizes God’s hand, blessing, and presence in this situation. Ezra didn’t lobby amazingly, prophesy so greatly that the King’s heart was changed. This was all God! And Ezra recognized and praised Him for it.

My encouragement this week, brothers and sisters in Christ, is for us to ask God to remove the blinders of entitlement, pride, and self. Once gone, maybe we will start seeing His faithfulness, His lovingkindness, His hand of protection, His amazing provision, and His life-changing and healing reality in our lives!

Praising God with you!
Pastor Mike