Listen to today’s devo!

The Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing. (Ezra 1:1)

Expanded Passage: Ezra 1:1

It is God’s job, not ours, to move hearts. While our particular choices are our own, oftentimes, others determine our circumstances. As a college professor, I spend a great deal of time encouraging young adults to learn to navigate this tension between choice and circumstance. The middle point is a place of conscientious waiting. While we actively serve him, we must also know that God can and does move hearts according to his will.

The book of Ezra begins in this place of waiting. The Israelites, exiles in Babylon, had acclimated to captivity in spite of the fact that their circumstances had been chosen for them. But God fulfilled his promise to give them hope and a future (Jer. 29:11). At the appointed time, God moved the heart of King Cyrus, just as the prophet Isaiah had predicted (Isa. 44:28; 45:1). The Israelites were not only invited to return to Jerusalem, but they were also accommodated in their going by King Cyrus.

There are times in our lives that we simply must accept our circumstance as exiles. Perhaps a family member has rejected us. Maybe we have struggled to find favor with an employer despite our best efforts. Whatever has suspended us between choice and circumstance, we must continue to live godly lives in the waiting. At the appointed time, God will move hearts.

Be willing to wait; God has a plan.

Dalene Fisher is a full-time wife, mother, and grandma. She is a former associate professor of English, dean, and assistant provost at Oklahoma Wesleyan University.

© 2025 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.