Wednesday 16 Oct 2013

Wednesday Reading: Ezra 4:1-5

Key Verse: Ezra 4:2
2 they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, ‘Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.’

Devotion:
The Samaritans did not really have any intention of coming to worship God in truth as the Children of Israel were trying to. The Jews were still under the jurisdiction of the king of Persia at this time and were getting ready to build the temple to the Lord God of Israel. The Samaritans, despite their words, had no intention of allowing Israel to build the temple otherwise they would not be able to continue worshipping their own idols and gods in fear of this great God that was being brought into their midst.

What better way than to get in amongst the people trying to do God’s work and disrupt things from the inside. Why bash on the walls to try to get in when you can walk through an open door and then break things on the inside. The weakest point in this building project was always going to be the hearts of man and that is where they were aiming.

As we go out and do God’s work we will also find that Satan will bring in the “local Samaritans” in our towns and villages who will come to try and disrupt things. They want to be able to do their own thing, to worship their own god. If they can do it in the guise of the faith and trust that we do then they may be accepted by others – or at least that is their plan. I have seen so many groups or plans fail in the past because someone comes in and blinds everyone with big promises, only to fail to deliver anything. The evil one brings in these workers of his and sucks communities dry, bringing them to the knees and breaking people’s faith.

Just like these people stood up and said “no” to the infiltration of the enemy, we too must stand firm and count ourselves worthy in God’s eyes because we are doing what He declared and not what man has desired. We have to stand up and show people we are serious about following God and upholding His name above that of man and above our own. It is only by being a good and faithful servant that we will accomplish God’s work in our lives.

Points to Ponder:
Are you trying to work for God?

Are you being distracted by man?