Seeking God in EZRA

“For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel status and judgments.” EZRA 7:10

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hen a man dedicates his heart to God, there is no more room for compromise. In all the affairs of this world corruption can sneak in undetected. But with the Lord the order of business is love, transparency and loyalty. This is why a human heart must be prepared for the righteous path. In the natural, the same heart would be prone to failure at every opportunity. Ezra realized that serving God sprouts from the inside out, from the very core of our whole being. Why the law? Why begin with the hardest, and not focus on His mercy? The standard of the law is the bare minimum of righteousness, the mirror where man examines his life according to the ideal set by our Creator. Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth – words written by a man who failed in his walk with God because of his heart.

And to do it… Ezra grasped that knowledge by itself is not enough. Action must follow. Throughout the Bible we see this theme emphasized, faith without works is dead. Have you fixed your heart to seek the Lord but you are still hesitant to pursue the commandment He has given you? Do you love Him enough to do what He says? I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do, Jesus says. The Son is the way. Knowledge and action are joined within the same sentence. And then to teach - why teach? God’s blessings must be shared. We are to become a spring of life to everyone we reach. There is nothing more tragic in our world as someone that God has blessed abundantly who refuses to share. Let us be mindful of these things: a righteous heart, action, and giving.