When the Persian Empire defeated Babylon in 539BC the Persian Emperor, Cyrus, released the Jews to return to Jerusalem. The prophets had foretold this momentous event and in doing so they had made it clear that Cyrus would act as God’s servant. It was God himself, in other words, who was bringing back his people to Jerusalem. They went into exile because they had forsaken God, but God had never forsaken them. There were many, however, who did not return. They had given up hope in Babylon and assimilated into society losing their distinct identity as Jews. Those who returned were those who had held onto the promise of God and looked beyond their immediate circumstances to the purpose that God had for them. This perspective is vital for any stage of life. Your present circumstances are a step toward your greater purpose, however dark those circumstances may be. God wants to lead you to greater fruitfulness, and every circumstance will be used by God to that end. Each stage in our journey only makes sense in the light of the journey as a whole. Whether we move on to where God wants us to go depends on whether we keep this perspective and continue to entrust ourselves to God. Seek first God and his Kingdom in every circumstance. That is how you get there.
Ask God to help you engage with your present circumstances as he would want you to.
Read Ezra 1 and 2
