"Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building. They hired counselors to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia." Ezra 4:4-5
Plans fail for lots of reasons. Sometimes its because we made bad plans. Sometimes its because we didn't listen to the Lord. Sometimes its because our plans sometimes involve other people - and we can't control them.
That is what we are going to focus on today. In this passage, the tribes of Judah and Benjamin had set out to rebuild the temple. Their enemies were not happy about this. They literally hired people to come out and spend the day frustrating them. Do you ever feel like that? Honestly...sometimes I feel that is how my days go - like someone is paying my kids behind my back to frustrate me.
But this situation was much bigger than frustrating kids, and you may be experiencing something really big too. You may have set out a plan to be the best wife and mom possible, to raise godly children, to have a well-kept home, to be able to give to great causes, etc., etc., etc.....all very good plans.
But often those kind of plans depend on other people. You can't be a great wife if your husband leaves. You may work hard to raise godly children, but you can't control the choices of their hearts. You can't control the economy or people taking advantage of you -that leave you struggling to pay your own bill and unable to give to others.
It doesn't mean your plans weren't good. It doesn't mean that your plans weren't of the Lord. It doesn't mean that you shouldn't have done all you could.
Benjamin and Judah were doing the right thing, but they couldn't control the enemy. They did persevere, though, and God provided for their needs.
Oh, dear one whose husband just asked you for a divorce -
Oh, dear one who is watching a love one die in their addictions -
Oh, dear one whose biggest hope this week is keeping a roof over your head -
Oh, dear one whose husband left you for another woman and now wants to take your children -
Oh, dear one who simply feels outnumbered by the little warriors waging battle in your home -
God is extending a personal invitation to you to go to a deeper place with him.
Do you remember Hagar? Hagar didn't really have many choices in life. She was a slave girl. She was impregnated by her mistress' husband because she wanted it that way, and then her mistress rejected her. Hagar ran away in fear...
But God met Hagar in the wilderness. He told her what to do next, and gave her a vision for the future. Others may have interfered. They may have messed up things for her. But God saw her, gave her direction, and filled her with hope. Hagar may have gone her whole life without ever having a personal encounter with God if it had not been for her utter sorrow and feelings of helplessness. But those are the very things that drove her to the place she met the Lord.
"She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: 'You are the God who sees me,' for she said, 'I have now seen the One who sees me.'" Genesis 13:16
He sees you, too. He really does. He sees your pain and disappointment. He knows that you feel you failed when in reality you've done everything you could. You just simply aren't enough to make the world go around.
....and you were never supposed to be.
Let God meet you where you are at today. He is waiting for you. He can give you comfort, direction, and hope - just like He did for Hagar and Benjamin and Judah and countless others who have gone before you.
He is the God Who Sees - and He sees you!
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