Proverbs 25:2 has always been one of my favorite verses in Proverbs!
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to search out a thing.
"Glory" is the Hebrew word "kabowd", which means: glory; honor; abundance; riches; splendor; reputation; reverence; wealth; majesty. "When applied to God this word represents a quality corresponding to Him and by which He is recognized" (according to Vine's Expository Dictionary). This means that it is in God's character to hide His "glory" FOR His people to find out! Then it is all of these good things above happening in our lives when we find AND obey what His Word has to say to us! What a wonderful and abundant promise! If you haven't yet started to dig into God's Word - START! If you have - NEVER QUIT! All that we will ever need to be successful in this life can be found in the Word of God and in intimate fellowship with Him! The choice is ours! Choose wisely!
Ephesians 3:14-21 contains another Scriptural prayer that Paul prayed for his followers and I pray for YOU:
14 For this reason [seeing the greatness of this plan by which you are built together in Christ], I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 For Whom every family in heaven and earth is named [that Father from Whom all fatherhood takes its title and derives its name]. 16 May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality]. 17 May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, 18 That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; 19 [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]! 20 Now unto Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do super-abundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams] - 21 To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).
What a powerful prayer! We know from 1 John 5 that when we ask for something in line with God's will (His WORD) then He hears us and we have it! This is most definitely a prayer that God will answer! Amen!
Nehemiah 1-3 covers the beginning of the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem 100 years after the captivity in Babylon had ended. Nehemiah had chosen to stay. OR had he been CHOSEN to stay, for such a time as this? God knows! I believe that to be the case, just like Joseph in Egypt! I found this concerning the character of Nehemiah in the Bible Exposition Commentary:
Nehemiah was the kind of person who cared. He cared about the traditions of the past and the needs of the present. He cared about the hopes for the future. He cared about his heritage, his ancestral city, and the glory of his God.
We will continue with Nehemiah in the next days! In the meantime, think about this:
Shalom in Him!
