22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” Ezra 8:22
Brothers and sisters, there are times when you just have to step up to the plate in life. You and I are living in days when the light of the gospel is needed more than ever. God has promised to place His good hand on our lives, Matt. 28:20, if we will step out in faith.
Be reminded of what faith is:
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
This morning God has given us a timely illustration of a person who stepped up to the plate. This person’s name is the name of the very Old Testament book we are currently reading. Ezra was a priest and scribe in his day.
We are reminded that his people had been given an open door by God to return home to Israel and to rebuild the temple. You and I will discover in chapters 9-10 how much spiritual work that needed to be done. It was to this work that God called Ezra.
Why did God call Ezra? Here is what the Bible says of his life:
10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.
God’s hand of favor will always be on those whom:
- Study the Law of God for intake and impact in their own lives.
- Take heed to what they are studying.
- Teach others what they have been impacted by.
To summarize what was happening with Ezra we can say Ezra left his mark on people because God had left His mark on Ezra!
I wonder, is God calling you to step up to the plate in any particular area of your life? The answer lies within the pages of God’s Word. Let me challenge you to get into God’s Word and mark the pages and open your lives for God to mark the pages so that you can mark the world with the blessed Gospel of Jesus Christ.