God can change your unbelieving boss' heart - Ezra 6-10

In Proverbs 21:1 we read, "The kings heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord, He turns it wherever He wishes." There perhaps isn't a better example in Scripture of the truth of this verse and action of this verse than the story we have here in Ezra. King Artaxerxes (along with his predecessors, King Cyrus and King Darius) had his heart turned by God. The evil kings of the captives had plunder, destroyed and tried to end the nation of Israel. Then, exactly at 70 years, God not only released the captives as He said He would, He turned the evil kings heart to provide money, worship tools, sacrifice animals and a "no tax" decree for all clergy in the land. We fret and worry about our boss giving us time off for church on Sunday morning. We worry about the immediate authority in our lives letting us do something at work that would magnify God. Ezra is not only leaving his captivity, he is doing so with the Kings blessing and the Kings help. This happened when Moses brought the people out of Egypt, as well. God has the heart of the "king" (the authority) in His hand. He can turn it, like a young boy might turn the river he is making in the backyard. We should quit fretting and start "faithing" our way into doing something for God. Quit worrying about what the authority might do ... start asking God to fulfill Proverbs 21:1 in your own world. Just make sure God is doing something for Himself in your life.