Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a safe journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions.\u00a0For I was ashamed to request from the king troops and horsemen to protect us from the enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, \u201cThe hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but His power and His anger are against all those who forsake Him.\u201d\u00a0So we fasted and sought our God concerning this\u00a0matter,\u00a0and He listened to our entreaty.\u00a0 \u00a0(Ezra 8:21-23 , NASB)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ezra was a Jew exiled to Babylon, which had since been defeated by Persia. Ezra was also a priest of the Most High God. He received permission from the king to go to Jerusalem to participate in the rebuilding of the Temple, and to lead his people in worship. Ezra assembled the people he needed to do the task, Levites and others, and led them to Jerusalem. The passage above tells of what the people did before setting out on their journey. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They did exactly what God wants us to do:\u00a0 They humbled themselves and prayed, seeking His guidance and protection.\u00a0 God had punished Israel and Judah for idol worship, and for not seeking Him.\u00a0 Ezra was wise in teaching the people priorities.\u00a0 He also says that since they were to rely on God for protection, that he rejected the offer of troops for the journey.\u00a0 The Israelites were totally reliant on their God for provision and for protection while on their trip.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n God wants us to do the same.\u00a0 That doesn’t mean that we should take unnecessary risks.\u00a0 But He wants us to rely on Him.\u00a0 He wants to be involved in the decisions we make.\u00a0 He wants to be involved with everything we do.\u00a0 God loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to the earth, so that if we would believe in Him, we will have eternal life with Him in heaven!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/deadmannotwalking.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image.png?resize=525%2C445&ssl=1\")