It seems to me that some people are special. Sometimes I attribute it to luck, or hard work, or that they are just a favorite of God. Often, what looks like being special can sometimes mean a worldly success. I’m not talking about those guys. I mean the ones that God seems to smile upon. They seem loved, happy, fulfilled. They are energetic. Their lives seem meaningful and purposeful. Their lives aren’t always long, but their time is well-spent.
There are some upon whom God has placed His hand. Does He play favorites or is there more to it? Ezra was a man upon whom God had placed his hand. It was not an arbitrary act of the Almighty. There was a reason. In the Book of Ezra, the “Good Hand of God” is mentioned often and Ezra got things done.
The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him” (Ezra 8:22) He “had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel” (NKJV, 7:10)
Seems like getting the Good Hand of God on us requires:
- Prepare our hearts to seek the Law of the Lord.
- Follow the Law
- Teach the Law.
Prepare our hearts to seek the Law of the Lord. This is more than reading the Bible or going to church. I know plenty who do both and I’m pretty sure the Good Hand of God is nowhere near them.
I think “Prepare our hearts” means coming to the point of realizing that living apart from the Law of the Lord isn’t working. I have done prison ministry for years. Many think that’s got to be hard, but it isn’t. Those guys know that whatever has been their guide isn’t working.
Seeking the Law of the Lord with an open heart results in more than learning his rules. It means getting to know him. With that knowledge, steps 2 and 3 follow easily: obedience and teaching. When we get to know God we want to do his will and tell others about Him.
God’s love is beyond our understanding, unfailing, and unconditional. When we have the Good Hand of the Lord on us, it doesn’t mean He know loves us. It means He can use us.
Being useful to and used by God, is the greatest satisfaction.
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