May the mumbling commence!
Who do we look to for inspiration, protection and rest – bottomline? Is it our families? Or is it our friends? Or is it our coworkers? How about our bosses? Is it our government? Or do our inspiration and protection and rest come from the Lord?
These questions were swimming through the head of Ezra as he was planning his trip to Jerusalem. Protection was high in his mind because he and his companions were going to be traveling with a small fortune. Being waylaid along the road by thieves was NOT out of the question. Read this passage from Ezra chapter eight:
There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, "The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him." So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer. (Verses 21-23)
Ezra was probably thinking that a few thousand foot soldiers and a few thousand cavalry would make things a little more comfortable on the road. There was all that gold and silver and bronze, after all! Ezra wanted to ask the king for such protection, but he was ashamed to. He had already boasted to the king about the protection that the Lord gives to everyone who looks to Him.
I wonder: what if Ezra had said no such thing to the king? Would Ezra have trusted in the king to protect him or would he have relied so fully on the Lord? Yes, even in this witness to the king, words and actions worked together.
Even great visionary leaders have fears! But, what does the visionary leader from the Lord do when fears mount? Ezra proclaimed a fast and led the people in prayer. Solace and direction and protection and rest are found only in the Lord. Look to the Lord – that’s what great visionary leaders from the Lord do.
If we depend so fully upon God, then what do we do when we discover the people we are leading have fallen into sin? Well, Ezra found Judah ensnared in sin. Ezra mourned in dust and ashes, and then he prayed. Have you noticed the theme of prayer? Read the last part of his prayer from Ezra chapter nine:
"What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins have deserved and have given us a remnant like this. Shall we again break your commands and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor? O Lord, God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in your presence." (Verses 13-15)
Was Ezra at fault for the sin of intermarriage and idol worship? That would be quite unlikely. Still, Ezra did not speak of Judah’s sins as “their” sin or “your” sin. Ezra consistently used first person plural pronouns to describe those who had sinned. He did not set himself apart from the “sinners.”
Ezra recognized, as their leader, he was accountable to put a stop to this sin before an irreparable damage was done to their relationship with the Lord – on whom they all depended. Ezra included himself with sinful Judah.
And the people were convicted and responded to Ezra’s leadership attitude. Read from the beginning of Ezra chapter ten:
While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites – men, women and children – gathered around him. They too wept bitterly. Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, said to Ezra, "We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it." (Verses 1-4)
Israel responded to Ezra’s prayer of confession. They were cut to the heart and confessed their wrong. But they also saw hope because they recognized Ezra as the Lord’s anointed leader. Israel pledged to return to the Word of God, but they also knew that they needed help. They looked to Ezra to lead them back into the good graces of the Lord. They pledged their support to Ezra and his godly leadership. They basically said, “We support your leadership, so take courage and do whatever’s necessary.
Ezra was called by God and by God’s people because Ezra reached out in relationship to both of them. There are some clues to the visionary leadership needed in every generation – right relationship to God and to God’s people through prayer.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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