First a history quiz. Who is Cyrus that is mentioned in verse 1?
a. A guy with an achy breaky heart?
b. Hannah Montana's true identity?
c. A great Jewish leader?
d. None of the above?
If he’s so highly esteemed in the Old Testament, he must be a great Jewish leader, right?
Wrong. Cyrus was actually a Persian king (today's Iran) who is considered as the world’s first defender of human rights. The picture at right is something called the Cyrus Cylinder. In the 2500 year old writing, Cyrus promotes religious tolerance and freedoms for all people in his kingdom, even those in conflict with his own religious beliefs. He even worked to restore the temples of foreigners, including the Jews. Therefore, he is revered throughout all history and honored by God.
It makes me think about how we don't get to pick who God is going to use or favor. Based on today's reading, we can see that Cyrus had God going out before him to make his road straight and smooth. God is opening doors and gates and showing Cyrus hidden treasures. We can see that even though he is an infidel in the eyes of the Jews, God has still chosen him for great things. God goes out before him, like a champion in battle.
Now consider for a moment the bush in the story of Moses. Exodus doesn’t mention what kind of bush it was--whether it was beautiful and had magnificent foliage or whether it was a dry, shriveled little thing out in the desert.
The only thing we know was that it was on fire for God. The most important thing was that regardless of whether you or I would have picked it for service, God worked through it. The bush was used to bring a message that started a story that continues today in Israel!
When we allow ourselves to be used by God, no matter how unlikely of a choice we might seem to be, we can do great things. God will be out in front of us breaking down the doors and giving us all the treasures of the earth.
Thankfully, you and I don't get to choose who is blessed. If we did, we'd get it wrong. We'd pick the prettiest bush whether it would burn or not. We might pick the right heritage or looks for a king, but perhaps not the person with the most open heart.
But God knows and sees and summons us by name.
DAILY CHALLENGE: What is God summoning you to do? Can you trust that He will go before you as your champion?
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