Press the arrow to listen to Planetshakers sing “Beautiful Saviour” while reading today’s devotion about God’s love for you.

Scripture
Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to adorn the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem, and has extended lovingkindness to me before the king and his counselors and before all the king’s mighty princes Thus I was strengthened according to the hand of the LORD my God upon me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me. Ezra 7:27-28

Observation
Ezra was a bookworm, who felt at home in a library. Yet he faced the world’s most powerful ruler and was able to take thousands of Jews on a five month journey to rebuild a burned out temple all at the king’s expense.

If a microphone had been shoved in Ezra’s face, how would he have explained his extraordinary success? The bespeckled rabbi would have said, “I’m loved a lot.”

Application
Because the Lord had “extended lovingkindness” Ezra was successful. When I desire success, the most simple prayer I can pray is that God will love me. When I work out of a confidence of the Father’s love, anything I am called to do will be possible. That love will also be visible on my life to those who are able to help me. They may not know the source of love on me, they need not even realize that it is love, yet there will be a sense of unexplainable goodwill.

Prayer
Father, your lovingkindness is more valuable than oxygen today. Of all the things I need, I want your covenant-love most of all. I’d like to think there is something I can do to earn it. But I know any of that would only cheapen it. Instead, I open my heart to receive it and today let me walk in that love. Cover over all of my many imperfections with it and grant me success in all you’ve called me to do today. Amen.