Thursday 23 Oct 2014

October 23: Ezra 7:7-10

Key Verse: Ezra 7:10
For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.

Devotion:
When Ezra was still in Babylon he had made his mind up that he was going to study the scriptures so that he could become a scholar and an expert in the law that Moses has been given by God. Various prophets had stirred up the people and encouraged that all they should be rebuilding the temple again, but Ezra being stirred up to study even harder to gain the knowledge and wisdom about God’s word.

If we are willing to set our goal of doing something for God, then we should be strong enough to continue on that quests until such time as we have completed our task for God. In the same manner we should also aim to complete things that we say we will do for God. When God says that he will do something for us, it gets done! When we say we’ll do something for someone, it’s got a chance of happening, but our word is not quite as firm as Christ’s word!

Ezra’s journey from Babylon to Jerusalem was not just a hop in the car or plane, it was a long journey that took him 4 months of travel. I know I complain when I have to travel more than 4 hours never mind 4 days, weeks or months; but God wants us to take on the tasks He gives us with as much determination as Ezra. Taking a journey of a few weeks was bad enough in those days, but 4 months would have opened them to all manner of dangers; throughout all of this God was watching over them and protecting all who travelled together on that journey.

I admire anyone who can compete in athletics because I know how tough the job is of getting fit and staying fit so that you have a fighting chance at actually finishing the race! I may have run long races in my youth, but never anything that lasted longer than a few hours. Determination to finish the journey would have all but disappeared if God had not given them the strength and will to complete the task… This is because God wanted people to know that he was behind this all.

Points to Ponder:
Do you have stamina?

Will you persevere for God?