Day 102: Ezra: Return led by Ezra

“I prayed, ‘O my God, I am utterly ashamed; I blush to lift up my face to you. For our sins are piled higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached to the heavens. From the days of our ancestors until now, we have been steeped in sin. That is why we and our kings and our priests have been at the mercy of the pagan kings of the land. We have been killed, captured, robbed, and disgraced, just as we are today. But now we have been given a brief moment of grace, for the Lord our God has allowed a few of us to survive as a remnant. He has given us security in this holy place. Our God has brightened our eyes and granted us some relief from our slavery.” Ezra 9:6-8 NLT

Reading Ezra 7:1 to Ezra 10:44

Ezra returns to the land of Judah with a second group of exiles, 80 years after Zerubbabel. But instead of the homecoming he expected, he found the Temple rebuilt but the lives of the people in shambles. Intermarriage with foreigners opposed to God threatens the spiritual future of the nation. He prays for guidance and follows through with action.

The nation’s faith, tested and revived, led them to repent and remove these sins from their lives. As we trust God with our hearts and minds, we must also act by being faithful in our daily responsibilities. It is not enough to say we believe; we must make the changes God requires and allow him to transform us.

Prayer: Father, so often we think our works are enough, but neglect to have complete faith in You. As we work to restore our hearts (our temple), may it be a journey of repentance, revival, and faith. Amen.