God must ignite the heart to move the feet - Ezra 1-5

God must stir the hearts before the man engages the hands and feet.   That would be the big idea of chapter one of this book, written by the priest, Ezra.   We tend to want to think we are in control of our good works ... they they are choices of a heart with a deep desire for good.  However, we read in Ephesians 2:10 that God even ordains (before we were saved) the good works we would do.   In this passage of Ezra we see that God has already stirred the heart of a godless king (Cyrus of Persia) to send the remnant back from captivity to build the temple.   In 1:5 of the same book we see that God now stirs the heart of the people to give toward the project.   Giving and building must first begin by an action of God.  We can't believe that man can will himself to do good.   What we can see is that God actively works in the hearts of man to accomplish His ends.   God sets things in order and moves the parts to assure His will is accomplished.   This passage should excite us that God is at work in every detail of our lives.  He wants us to move by faith as He ignites our lives for Him.   Our response in faith to His moving is the act of obedience that completes the work God wants for us.