#soap # Ezra 01 ## Title: The Lord Keeps His Promises ## Scripture: (Ezra 1:1) “In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in fulfillment of the Lord’s message spoken through Jeremiah, the Lord motivated King Cyrus of Persia to issue a proclamation throughout his kingdom and also to put it in writing. It read:” (NET) ## Observation: A theme we see over and over again in the Bible is God keeping His promises. The Lord said they would be able to return to their land when the time was right. Now, we see that God stirred the heart of the king to allow these people to go back. We don’t always know how God will do what He has planned. Often it is not in ways we would expect. He has decided to move through the people He has created rather than through supernatural occurrences. The bottom line: He still does, and these moments serve as gentle reminders that He is leading all things according to His plans. ## Application: Trust the Lord and His timing. ## Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for leading us and letting us see You move.