Stirred hearts..

There is a little sentence in a passage of scripture in 2 Chronicles that we could easily miss. It says “He (God) stirred the heart of Cyrus”.

“In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the Lord fulfilled the prophecy he had given through Jeremiah. He stirred the heart of Cyrus to put this proclamation in writing and to send it throughout his kingdom” 2 Chronicles 36:22

It was God who stirred the heart of the King, Cyrus to bring His Will to pass and for prophecy to be fulfilled.

God planted the seed of the idea into Cyrus. Now Cyrus still had a choice when he felt that stirring.

He could have deliberately hardened his heart against it.

He could have refused to follow through with what God had planted in his heart. We remember that Pharaoh hardened his heart when it was time for the Egyptians to let God’s people go.

God then showed through His miraculous demonstrations of power to Pharaoh that His people were leaving and nothing was going to stop it.

God not only stirred Cyrus’ heart but He also stirred the heart of His people, the leaders and the Priests to respond and want to return to their homeland.

Perhaps the people also needed God’s stirring to get them moving.

Perhaps some of them had grown comfortable where they were and accepted this was to be their way of life, their place. God had different ideas.

God intended to bring them back to their inheritance. The land He had promised to their fathers.

“Then God stirred the hearts of the priests and Levites and the leaders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of the Lord. And all their neighbors assisted by giving them articles of silver and gold, supplies for the journey, and livestock. They gave them many valuable gifts in addition to all the voluntary offerings” Ezra 1:5-6

I believe God is still at work stirring hearts today, especially in those in authority over us whether they are Kings, Queens, Presidents, government officials, bosses or others.

God is also still stirring hearts amongst us, His people to get us moving in the direction He plans. In following His lead and serving His purposes and plans to be fulfilled.

God uses us, His church to show His love, grace and mercy and declare to the unbelieving world His salvation and power.

As a bird stirs up her nest to get the chicks to leave, I believe God is stirring hearts to move out from our comfort zones and into unfamiliar territory. To go deeper and further in to Him.

Perhaps God is stirring your heart to lead you into something new. To step out of your comfort zone and fly.

A new journey, a new opportunity or a new mission.

Perhaps, you have had a prophetic word or a dream from God and God is stirring up other hearts to enable that to come to fulfilment.

Lord stir up our hearts today according to your holy purposes so that your plans may be achieved through us your holy people. Amen 🙏