❤️‍🔥 Feeling Unseen? God Has Not Forgotten Your Work

7-Step QT Notes

1. 🙏 Quiet Time

Pause.

Take a deep breath.

Ask God to help you trust that He sees your faithful work, even when others do not recognize it.

2. 📅 July 24, 2026

Today’s passage reminds us:

God rules over history, sees every act of obedience, and never forgets the faithful work of His people.

3. ✝️ Ezekiel 29:17-30:9

The LORD gives Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar as wages for his army’s labor against Tyre. On that day, God will raise a horn for Israel and open Ezekiel’s mouth, so they will know that he is the LORD. The near day of the LORD brings the sword upon Egypt and its allies, destroying their proud power, wealth, foundations, and helpers. Cush will tremble as God’s certain judgment comes.

4. 📖 Key Verse

I have given him the land of Egypt as his payment for which he labored, because they worked for me, declares the Lord GOD (v. 20).

5. 📝 Reflection

When I worked for a large corporation, I had opportunities to serve in several departments. Most of those transfers resulted from company decisions that I neither initiated nor anticipated. However, there was one occasion when I personally requested a transfer.

After making the request, I met with the senior executive responsible for personnel decisions. When he asked why I wanted to move to another department, I answered without hesitation:

“My current department head does not recognize me in proportion to how hard I work. I want to work with a department head who appreciates my efforts.”

Upon hearing my answer, he laughed heartily and took my request into consideration during the next personnel rotation. Looking back, I am deeply grateful that he listened to what might have sounded like a rather presumptuous request and continued to care for me afterward. At the time, I did not belong to anyone’s inner circle and was almost an outsider. He could easily have ignored my request, yet he did not.

In today’s QT passage, the army of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, labored greatly in its campaign against Tyre. According to historical records and various scholars, Nebuchadnezzar besieged Tyre for approximately thirteen years. Yet despite all that effort, his army did not obtain enough spoil from Tyre to compensate for its labor. Then God said:

“I have given him the land of Egypt as his payment for which he labored, because they worked for me.”

Indeed, God used Babylon as an instrument to carry out his judgment and gave Egypt into Nebuchadnezzar’s hands as compensation for his labor. Babylon’s invasion of Egypt and seizure of its wealth also took place under God’s sovereign plan.

Dear brothers and sisters, Scripture testifies that God moved Babylon according to his purpose, remembered its labor, and gave it compensation. How, then, will God treat those who labor in obedience to his will today? If God remembered even the labor of the pagan nation of Babylon, which served as an instrument of his judgment, he will certainly not forget the faithful obedience of his children. He will reward their labor at the best time and in the best way.

Therefore, let us remember that the work we do according to God’s will is never in vain, and let us listen attentively to the Word of the God who rewards. If God tells us to go, let us go; if he tells us to stand, let us stand. If he tells us to forgive, let us forgive; if he tells us to proclaim the gospel, let us proclaim it. As we obey God’s Word, we will come to know more deeply the God who rules over history and remembers the labor of his people.

6. 💬 What does this passage speak to you today?

Where do I feel that my effort or faithfulness has gone unnoticed?
Am I discouraged because I have not seen immediate results from my obedience?
Am I seeking people’s recognition more than God’s approval?
What has God already asked me to do that I have been delaying?
How can I obey God today without demanding recognition or an immediate reward?
What is one specific act of faithful obedience I can practice today?

7. 🙏 Prayer

Our sovereign God, thank You for seeing the work that others may overlook.

Help me not to measure my obedience only by recognition, success, or immediate results.

Give me faith to trust Your timing and courage to follow Your Word.

Teach me to serve faithfully even when no one notices, trusting that my labor in You is never meaningless.

May I know You more deeply as the God who rules over history and never forgets the faithful work of Your people.

Amen.

Scriptures

📖 (Ezekiel 29:17-30:9, ESV).

17 In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me: 18 “Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made his army labor hard against Tyre. Every head was made bald, and every shoulder was rubbed bare, yet neither he nor his army got anything from Tyre to pay for the labor that he had performed against her. 19 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he shall carry off its wealth and despoil it and plunder it; and it shall be the wages for his army. 20 I have given him the land of Egypt as his payment for which he labored, because they worked for me, declares the Lord GOD.
21 “On that day I will cause a horn to spring up for the house of Israel, and I will open your lips among them. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord GOD:

“Wail, ‘Alas for the day!’
3 For the day is near,
the day of the LORD is near;
it will be a day of clouds,
a time of doom for the nations.
4 A sword shall come upon Egypt,
and anguish shall be in Cush,
when the slain fall in Egypt,
and her wealth is carried away,
and her foundations are torn down.

5 Cush, and Put, and Lud, and all Arabia, and Libya, and the people of the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword.

6 “Thus says the LORD:
Those who support Egypt shall fall,
and her proud might shall come down;
from Migdol to Syene
they shall fall within her by the sword,
declares the Lord GOD.
7 And they shall be desolated in the midst of desolated countries,
and their cities shall be in the midst of cities that are laid waste.
8 Then they will know that I am the LORD,
when I have set fire to Egypt,
and all her helpers are broken.

9 “On that day messengers shall go out from me in ships to terrify the unsuspecting people of Cush, and anguish shall come upon them on the day of Egypt’s doom; for, behold, it comes!

7-Step Quiet Time Devotional