Today’s Reading, Ezra 4-7
Focal Scripture: Ezra 7:10 “Now Ezra had determined in his heart to study the law of the Lord, obey it, and teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.”
What are things you are determined to do in your life? Do you desire to go skydiving? Maybe it’s to visit a certain country one day. Better yet you have a desire to own a mountain home on the lake. No matter what you may desire and be determined to do if you are serious about it, you make a plan to accomplish that goal. It can often become an obsession.
In today’s reading we are introduced to Ezra. He is described as a person who determined in his heart to study the law of the Lord. He knew that this was a decision that one must make personally. He couldn’t waiver from it or expect other people to do it for him. Not only did he want to study it he also wanted to obey it and teach it to the nation of Israel. He wanted to put the truth into practice and make sure that other people were aware of this truth.
I am going to be honest here and let you know that most professing believers I run into do not desire and long for the Bible. Most people have reasons why they don’t read or spend time with the Lord. I need to be careful here because I don’t want to make this into a legalistic expectation. There have been times in my life where I neglected reading the scriptures and lost my passion for the word. However, when I did I was convicted of this truth and of men most miserable.
I also want to challenge you as well. Just like Ezra made a decision to study the word, obey it and teach it to others we must do the same. As believers our reasons for not loving the word only goes so far as an excuse. I have witnessed people never miss a day of reading because their relationship with the Lord was so important. They had to know more about God everyday.
I am not sure where you are today in your love for the word but please know that the word should be a passion that you have. If it is not, I encourage you to find a translation that works well for you but to also find out why you don’t love the word. Is it because you have sin you don’t want exposed? Or maybe the word is calling you to follow the Lord somewhere uncomfortable.
My goal for writing today is to encourage you to be passionate about the book. It is a powerful declaration of God’s goodness and his mercy. It teaches us and convicts us to our core. It also confronts us and demands that we die to ourselves.
Be like Ezra today and make a conscious decision to love the law of the Lord.
Tomorrow, I plan on reading Ezra 8-10
