Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple to the LORD, the God of Israel, they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of fathers’ houses and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we worship your God as you do, and we have been sacrificing to him ever since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria who brought us here.”
Ezra 4:1-2 (ESV)
Father, I praise You this morning for the work that You have placed before me to accomplish in my life and the lives of those whom You shall send my way. When I think about the fingerprints of those whom You have brought my way and how much they have poured into me, it excites me to think that You will do the same with my service to others! To know that I will leave an imprint beyond this life in the lives of others fuels me to go on.
However, I do recognize that there will be obstacles in my way, situations and people who will be set, for whatever reason, to not see me be successful. My fear is that though I can deal with the ones who are obviously against me, it is the ones who come seemingly supporting me that I will struggle with. How many times have I thought somebody was on my side only to learn that they were tearing me down behind my back? They say they support me but when I’m not around they are against me?
Today, LORD, protect me and the work I do for You. Give me a mind not to give any thought to my naysayers knowing that You are keeping watch over me, and are the One Who is blessing my efforts (Philippines 4:13). Remind me that You are the One Who shields me from my adversaries (Psalm 27:1-3), and makes straight my path (Proverbs 3:6). Show me who is for me and who is against me and help me to love them even as Christ loved His. And finally, bless the works of my hands this day that they might bring forth the fruit that You have purposed and bless the lives of those around me to Your glory in Jesus’ Name.