“Who can be compared with the Lord our God, who is enthroned on high? He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth. He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people! He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother. Praise the Lord!” Psalms 113:5-9 NLT
God is the writer who tells the ultimate stories of rags to riches. Ezra writes this Psalm as the people of Israel return home after a 70 year timeout under a foreign country. A generation of loss. This exit out of exile is just the beginning of rewriting their story, rebuilding their lives, along with their culture. Eventually they would finish the rebuilding of their temple and the repair of their city walls.
Think about this. We know that several amazing stories and people come out of this time period. We find out about Daniel and the young men who were selected out to be trained in the royal Nebuchadnezzar courts in service to the king. We also find a most dramatic story of Esther who’s beauty and charm opened the door for her to also rise to become queen and save her entire nation from a racist madmen. Even Nehemiah who was critical to God’s story. The Psalmist writes these verses of God not just looking down on the earth, but stooping down to attend to the affairs of humanity.
God sees. God stoops. God lifts. He relocates the outlier, the desolate and desperate to high places of influence. He sees the loneliness and longing in a mother who desires to give life and nurture a family. God sees, he is moved with compassion and makes destiny happen to fulfill us and accomplish his will. It is God who places people in positions of power and high purpose. He takes Daniel from a position of a slave to the king’s advisor. He takes Nehemiah and makes him the Chief Operations Officer in the royal palace. And he takes Esther all the way to becoming the queen. Who else can do this? No one. God moves and positions people for his purposes. And, for those who obey, he blesses them. For those who disobey, he disciplines them, removing them from power. Why do some rise to evil and stay in power? I don’t know. History reveals that God uses evil leaders, dictators and even madmen to accomplish his own purposes. But when God promotes the poor, it gives us all hope.
Prayer
Dad,
Certainly I did not come from a poor family, in terms of the essentials like housing, food and education. But in terms of safety or family, it was pretty rough. I do know one thing. My friends and family did not see any hope of me becoming much in my own future. Yet, you see, stoop and lift the poor and the desperate. That is exactly what you did for me. I may not be a king or an advisor to one, but I have lived a royal life because of your grace. I am so very thankful for you seeing me and setting an amazing future of purpose before me.