IS GOD GRACIOUS TO YOU? TESTIFY!

WEDNESDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 2022

If God has been gracious to you, your heart will pant for more of Him, and you'll always experience a stable rest and peace of mind to unlimited extent, which is good, sweet and satisfying for your soul. In fact, you'll have a firm conviction in your heart that God is real and good, and by testifying of His graciousness, you are sure to welcome the limitless possibilities of the reality of His glory into your space.

Reference: Nehemiah 2:18 New Living Translation (NLT) "Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king. They replied at once, "Yes, let's rebuild the wall!" So they began the good work."

Nehemiah, a Jewish leader, was extremely happy that God had been gracious to him. Although at the time, Jerusalem was very unexceptional because it was in a disgraceful state. However, through prayer, God granted him favour with the King Artaxerxes, in relation to his concern for rebuilding his city's wall as well as the restoration of dignity and well-being of His people.

God also granted Nehemiah great tact and wisdom in sharing his concerns with the king. This very king would naturally have a problem with Nehemiah's background or his people, yet by God's gracious hand upon him and by granting him uncommon wisdom, Nehemiah gained the consent and sympathy of the king after his consistent labour in prayer. Simply put, Nehemiah's favour with King Artaxerxes granted him the permission to execute the vision God had placed in his heart which was to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and more so, when he testified to his people about this favour, they replied him at once saying, "Yes, let's rebuild the wall!" and shortly, they began the good work, which visibly symbolised their unwavering participation in the execution of divine vision.

Beloved, there is such a thing as God showing a man his gracious hand and intervening on his behalf. To be gracious to someone is to be merciful, compassionate, kind, generous and tender-hearted. This is exactly the sweet simplicity of the account of God's faithfulness in Nehemiah's life and it is remarkable because his testimony about God reveals a great deal of his experienced favour told in a few, passionate words, considering our referenced Scripture.

The gracious hand of God is the hidden brightness of His glory-cloud following you always, and this will usually happen because you love God and are called according to His purpose. David expressed this hand as goodness and mercy. He confidently knew that God was gracious to him and for that reason, He acknowledged it as his earnest reality, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever" (Psalm 23:6 ESV).

When your mind is focused on God and heavenly realities, He keeps you in perfect peace. Psalm 26:3 reads, "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!" (NLT). That is God being gracious to you. Beloved, as you testify to others about God's goodness and faithfulness in your life, your patient expectation, labour in prayer and harmonious association with the right company or companions, will position you to receive more of God's favour and blessings by the Spirit, and also, will help to equip you for everything God has placed in your heart to accomplish for His Kingdom. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Psalm 116:5; Joel 2:13; Psalm 145:8; Isaiah 30:18.

Guided Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, your lovingkindness and gracious hand upon me have won my heart and kindled the very essence of divine grace upon my life. Indeed, your divine power has granted me all things that pertain to life and godliness. Thus, my heart will always accommodate and nurture my trust in you, as you approved and specified in your Word. I'm exceedingly grateful because you graciously supply all my needs and wants, and I'll continue to love and fear you, in Jesus' Name, Amen!