Do you remember how back in grade-school days it was common for kids to try and one-up each other by bragging about things? If the boasting of both parties got them no further in establishing their dominance over the other, then the “big-guns” would usually be pulled out. Those big-guns usually came in the form of an argument over whose dad was stronger or could beat up the other person’s dad. Somehow in our little minds (not saying that I ever did this…….) we felt secure and that we had won the day if we could convince the other person that should our dads ever fight, the other person’s dad would get a whooping.
Recently, I concluded reading the book of Ezra and I rejoice in how God encouraged me in my faith through this faithful man named Ezra. If you are not familiar with the book it recounts how after the Jewish people had been exiled to Babylon, Cyrus of Persia defeated the Babylonian Empire and then allowed captive peoples to return to their homelands and live by their traditions and reestablish the worship of their respective gods. We learn that the representatives of these exiled people groups would have opportunity to make the king aware of who their god was and how they needed to worship, and Cyrus would in turn make provision for when they returned to their homeland. As the story of Ezra and the Jewish people unfolds, we learn that Cyrus had given permission for the Jews to return to Jerusalem with “the gold and silver articles of the house of God which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple which is in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon.” We also come across this rather interesting set of verses:
“Then I (Ezra) proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions. For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.” So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer.”
Later in the book Ezra explained how the prayer was answered, “And the hand of God was upon us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambush along the road.”
So in these little excerpts from the book of Ezra we learn that Ezra had boasted about his (and our) heavenly Father and felt like it would be shameful to on the one hand say, “Our God will protect us” and then turn around and say, “Oh, by the way king, can you give us an escort of soldiers to protect us because the arm of our God is not long enough and strong enough to reach down and fight against those who would do us harm?” As much as it can be argued that Ezra’s decision to not ask for human security was only the by-product of his own shame, we really see the heart of this humble and faithful man and where his trust was placed when we learn that he and the Jews, “fasted and entreated our God for this (protection).”
After reading this account I couldn’t but help and think about what easy prey the Jews would have been for any enemy who decided to attack this groups of exiles who were traveling along the road with great riches in tow. I could almost imagine such an enemy along the side of the road licking their chops as they consider the possible gold and silver for the taking. Yet, no such enemy appeared for God was with the Jews and was protecting His people.
What are you facing today? Is there a threat to your well-being? Are you concerned about how certain things will unfold in your life? Perhaps tomorrow you will go to church and sing praises about our great God and the mighty-fortress that He is. May I encourage you that if you do, then don’t return home and cower at what threat still looms over you? Trust in Him. Oh, and it is okay to boast about your heavenly Dad, for He is able to deliver anyone from any circumstance should this be His will…and trust me…there is no other dad that can beat him up.
For Him,
Rob
March 12, 2016