Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites – everyone whose heart God had moved – prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. (Ezra 1:5)

Cyrus, king of Persia, was moved by God to allow the exiled Jews to rebuild God’s temple in Jerusalem. He invited all of God’s people who were captives in Babylon to go back to Judah to help with the project.

You’d think that all of the exiles would have jumped at the chance to go home. But some people chose to stay put, perhaps out of fear of the unknown or from reluctance to unsettle a settled life or from lack of motivation to tackle such a major change.

Change is a challenge, no matter what the promise of benefits to come. It often requires sacrifice, stress and moving out of one’s comfort zone. Sometimes it means leaving family and friends and jobs and a whole network of support. The thought of leaving behind the familiar for a new environment or way of doing things can be so stressful that people often choose to stay where they are, even if it’s a less-than-desirable situation.

What helped the people who did decide to return to Jerusalem was God’s movement in their hearts. God motivated them to move. So they packed and made the long, arduous journey back to the land of their ancestors.

Christians who marry also face the challenge of change. There are sacrifices and adjustments to be made all along the marriage journey, many of which are unsettling, frightening and nerve-racking, for e.g. when to start a family.

God can work in many circumstances to advance his will for people. He takes action – and motivates us to take action – when the time is right.

The lesson is repeated throughout married life: seek God’s will, pay attention to God’s timing and wait for his motivation to move forward. The exiles and their leaders learned that God’s will and timing work better than human attempts to control circumstances.
In married life, God gives us a sense of adventure, a bundle of opportunities, a bunch of risks, and a range of blessings as we step out in faith. We can support each other and work together to take on change – as long as we depend first on God and His direction for our lives.

LET’S TALK

1. Looking back, when did we lean on God’s will and timing to go forward with a critical decision? How did that effect our marriage?
2. How do we get off track in seeking God’s will? What are some things we do that are seeking or following not God’s will but our own?
3. What people do we know who have blessed in seeking and doing God’s will? How did they demonstrate that they were motivated by God?

Even as we kick off this new year, let us be open and ready for change or move, if the Lord wants us to do so. Let us trust and obey! He is a trustworthy God. This is our testimony. God bless this devotion for your edification!