WHAT FRUSTRATES YOU?

 

Monday, December 19, 2022

 

WHAT FRUSTRATES YOU?

 

Ezra 4:4-5

4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,

5 And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

 

Gal 2:20-21

20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

 

          Only twice in the King James Version do we find the word “frustrate.” In the Old Testament it is the Hebrew word parar which means “to break up.” In the New Testament it is the Greek word atheteo which means “to set aside; to disesteem; to neutralize.” Already we are formulating images and circumstances that enhance our understanding of both words. We are pretty sure we know what the word means.

 

          Ezra was building a Temple for the Lord. Satan comes as a snake to deceive (1 Corinthians 11:3) and if that doesn’t work, he will come as a lion to devour (1 Peter 5:8). In the case of temple building, all manner of things can hinder the work. Unreasonable building permits and regulations are not the least of those things. We see the result when we read “the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah.” This was not physical weakness but discouragement.

 

          Believers need to understand that we are trying to build something good in a world that is thoroughly bad. We must expect hindrances and even outright attacks from those who do not want good things built. The building, then, requires resolve!

 

          In the second case we find ourselves to be the ones frustrating the work of God in our lives. God wants to build something good in us and we “set it aside or disesteem it.” We break up His efforts because we don’t really want what God wants. We are stubborn and ignorant. Fortunately for us, God is patient and full of resolve in showing us His grace.

 

Jer 18:3-4

3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred [spoiled] in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

 

Thank you, Lord, for your resolve in showing me your grace. AMEN