On the Line

Is your life on the line for God? Is your reputation on the line for Him?

Do you know what it feels like to put yourself out there for Him and wonder if He’ll come through for you?

Listen to this passage. Seriously listen to it. It’s from the book of Ezra. You probably haven’t read it recently. Read it a couple of times. I did. It took me by surprise this morning. It hit me in the core.

“Then I (Ezra) proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. 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.” So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.” Ezra 8:21-23.

Do you get it?

Ezra and the people of Israel had put themselves out there by making their faith in God known to everyone. They made a statement about God’s character and now faced the test of faith. Did they really believe that God is for good for all who seek Him?

They couldn’t take it back.

Their reputations were on the line. Their lives were on the line.

And the enemy they were facing was greater and mightier and scarier than they could handle.

They had no choice but to pray.

Going back to the king would undermine their faith.

Failing at the hand of the enemy would undermine their God.

They had no choice but to pray.

Either way they would be humbled. Facing the king would bring shame before everyone.

But asking God meant acknowledging their desperate need for Him.

When was the last time you put yourself out there for God, relying on nothing but His word, and then begged Him to come through?

And He listened to their entreaty.

And He will listen to yours.

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