Almighty Lord (Ezra 1:1)
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing…
– Ezra 1:1
Now, we could keep going on reading here in Ezra1 about how Cyrus decreed that God’s people could come back to Jerusalem and rebuild there. But the reason I want to just stop here at verse one and lead us to pray accordingly is because Ezra 1:1 is making clear that God is sovereign over yes, all things, including all leaders in the world. Even the pagan king of Persia is under the sovereign hand of God and his Word, that the Word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled. God’s Word will be accomplished. And God will sovereignly oversee the decisions and decrees, and movements of leaders, ultimately for the accomplishment of his purposes.
Ezra 1:1 pictures a world ruled not by chaos, but by God’s sovereignty.
If that’s true of world leaders and world events, well then one that gives us just so much confidence whenever we read world news and see anything that’s happening. And there obviously is much mystery here when it comes to evil in the world and suffering in the world.
But the good news of Ezra 1:1 is that God is ultimately in control. Things are not out of control, and his Word will be fulfilled. His Word that says he will work all these things together ultimately for the good of all those who love him and are called according to his purpose for his people. And that one day all of the evil and the suffering in this world will be gone.
How do we know that? Because God is sovereign over all things, and he is accomplishing his ultimate purposes. So when you think about world leaders, movements of countries, nations, they are not ultimately sovereign. God alone is sovereign. And so we pray, and just to think you and I have the privilege every moment of every day to speak with, to walk with, to listen to the One who is sovereign over the whole world and all nations and leaders in it.
Ezra 1:1 pictures a God who reigns over history for his redemptive purposes.
Oh God, we praise you for your sovereignty over all things. We praise you, Jesus, as the One who has all authority in Heaven and on Earth. We praise you for your sovereignty over all things in the world and over all things in each of our lives, down to the smallest details of our lives, to the most glaring headlines in the news. You are in control.
And oh God, we are so glad that you are in control. We are so glad that you are the Lord over everything, and you are faithful to your Word, and you will accomplish all of your good purposes for all who trust in you. So we say today in a fresh way, Oh God, we trust in you. We trust in your Word, in your purposes in your power, in your sovereign plans and authority to carry out those plans in our lives and in the world.
And God, we pray for the accomplishment of your purposes as you taught us to pray, Jesus, for the hallowing of your Name and all the earth, for your kingdom to come, your kingdom of justice and righteousness and mercy and grace in Jesus to come, your will to be done, your Word to be accomplished on the Warth as it is in Heaven.
Prayer for the Hawrami Gurani People
God, we pray in light of your authority over all things for disciples to be made among all the nations. God, we pray that you’d help us to play the part you’re calling us to play today in making disciples of all the nations. We pray for the spread of the gospel to all the nations.
Specifically, we pray for the Hawrami Gurani people of Iraq. For 334,000 of them, for the spread of the good news of your grace and your mercy and your glory to the Hawrami Gurani people of Iraq. Please, oh God, cause your purposes to be accomplished in our lives and in the world. And help us to trust in your sovereignty over all things. We pray all of this in the name of Jesus, the One who has died on the cross, risen from the grave, ascended to Heaven and has all authority in Heaven and on Earth. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
