Embracing God's Space of Grace
Ezra 9:8: "And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage."
Just as Israel, who was found in bondage for their sins, was given a space of grace by our precious Lord for reviving, even so we the church in this Laodicean church age are also given a space of grace for the same. In the Hebrew dictionary, the word “reviving” in our verse today simply means “the preservation of life.” Webster’s 1828 dictionary goes on to define it as “bringing to life again; reanimating; renewing; recalling to the memory; recovering from neglect or depression; refreshing with joy or hope…”
So we learn then that it is both an act of God to not only keep us from dying altogether, but to bring us back to full spiritual health, vitality, and functionality! And so here we are, in a world where the church is getting worldlier, and the world is getting churchier, and where it seems near impossible that there might be a reviving of His true church. Yet, there is ALWAYS a remnant! Dear reader, should most of the entire body of professed believers in Christ go the way of the world, and forsake the God they claim they love, be sure that our Lord has yet many (though they may be few in comparison) who have yet to bow the knee to Baal.
YOU can be a part of that remnant! Just because other Christians and other churches are dead, does not mean you or your church must go the same way. God forbid that we settle for less than a reviving in the midst of these years! See our text; God provides all that is needed for a reviving of the remnant. He provides the time (“a little space”), the “grace,” the location (“in his holy place”), the means (“that our God may lighten our eyes”), and the purpose (“give us a little reviving”)!
Even so, for us, the time is now, His grace is sufficient, His church is still the place, His Word is still the means, and His purpose is still to revive us again! May we find our “nail” in His holy place! More so, may we BE that nail, fastened in His place, never to be removed, but always abounding in the work of The Lord, knowing that our labor is not in vain in The Lord! Be encouraged, child of God; there is yet a reviving available in these last days for all who will drink of its waters. Drink up!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
Just as Israel, who was found in bondage for their sins, was given a space of grace by our precious Lord for reviving, even so we the church in this Laodicean church age are also given a space of grace for the same. In the Hebrew dictionary, the word “reviving” in our verse today simply means “the preservation of life.” Webster’s 1828 dictionary goes on to define it as “bringing to life again; reanimating; renewing; recalling to the memory; recovering from neglect or depression; refreshing with joy or hope…”
So we learn then that it is both an act of God to not only keep us from dying altogether, but to bring us back to full spiritual health, vitality, and functionality! And so here we are, in a world where the church is getting worldlier, and the world is getting churchier, and where it seems near impossible that there might be a reviving of His true church. Yet, there is ALWAYS a remnant! Dear reader, should most of the entire body of professed believers in Christ go the way of the world, and forsake the God they claim they love, be sure that our Lord has yet many (though they may be few in comparison) who have yet to bow the knee to Baal.
YOU can be a part of that remnant! Just because other Christians and other churches are dead, does not mean you or your church must go the same way. God forbid that we settle for less than a reviving in the midst of these years! See our text; God provides all that is needed for a reviving of the remnant. He provides the time (“a little space”), the “grace,” the location (“in his holy place”), the means (“that our God may lighten our eyes”), and the purpose (“give us a little reviving”)!
Even so, for us, the time is now, His grace is sufficient, His church is still the place, His Word is still the means, and His purpose is still to revive us again! May we find our “nail” in His holy place! More so, may we BE that nail, fastened in His place, never to be removed, but always abounding in the work of The Lord, knowing that our labor is not in vain in The Lord! Be encouraged, child of God; there is yet a reviving available in these last days for all who will drink of its waters. Drink up!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill