“Ezra had committed himself to studying the Revelation of God, to living it, and to teaching Israel to live its truths and ways.” Ezra 7:10
Can I honestly say that I’ve committed myself to studying, living, and teaching God’s Word? That’s what Ezra did. Another translation puts it this way. “For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.” He set his heart to study the law of the Lord. I’m a Christ-follower, and I do seek to know his word and his will, but am I committed enough? Do I make this my first priority?
I was very blessed last night at our homeschool support group meeting, when one of the mom’s shared a bit about her “broken road” she’s been on this year. I know and love this mom; she just radiates Christ. Her family is so loving and so in love with Jesus, that I would love to just sit in a little corner of her living room and soak up how they do life. But about six months ago, their youngest son died unexpectedly, not long before his third birthday. They have no explanation for his death. She shared last night about how this has changed her perspective. Before this tragedy, she loved and trusted God, and tried to regularly have quiet time with Him; since this great loss, she wakes up each morning running to Jesus, soaking in His word, letting Him show her His plans for her day and her life. She realizes that before this, she only let Jesus have those parts of her life that felt out of control, and she held onto the other parts. Now, she gives it all over to Him, every single day. She feels His love in even the tiniest details. She says, “My God is soooo big, but he is so intimate, too.”
About a week ago, I was talking with a friend and we ended up on the topic of children who are battling serious illnesses. My friend wondered aloud, why God allows pain and suffering, especially for little children like that. So I told her of that mom who lost her sweet boy. I said that, this side of heaven, we will never know why God numbered his days so few, BUT I have seen how God has already used even this for his glory. In the past few months, that family has already been to comfort and grieve with several other families who have experienced the loss of a child. Every single time I’m around that mom, she blesses me in some way with her love and wisdom, which she will humbly tell you all comes straight from Christ. Even when I took a meal to her house just a few weeks after her little boy’s death, talking with her blessed me so deeply. She has lived through unspeakable pain, and yet, instead of running from God, she and her family ran right into His arms. It’s easy to “have faith” when things are going well, but when it’s put to the test, what then? This family blesses me by showing me the most clear example of TRUE faith I have ever seen. After sharing that with my friend, she said, with tears in her own eyes, that now even she had been blessed by this mom. Every mother in that homeschool meeting last night was blessed, and will likely share this story with at least one more person. And if reading this has blessed you, then that ripple effect of this mom’s faith has gone even farther.
Coming back around to my original point. If time with God, taking in all He has to teach me in His word, isn’t my number one priority, why not??? I know God is big, and I’ve seen Him at work in tiny details, too. Isn’t that enough to wake up each morning eager to hear what He longs to tell me that day? How many times has He spoken and I’ve turned a deaf ear to him? And am I, like Ezra, really LIVING what I’m learning? I’m trying. And am I teaching it to others? To my daughter, yes. But am I missing opportunities to share with others around me? I am sorry to say that I think I am, and that is something I must change.
Lord, help me be more like Ezra, and to earnestly set my heart to learning, living, and teaching your Word. Amen!
I was very blessed last night at our homeschool support group meeting, when one of the mom’s shared a bit about her “broken road” she’s been on this year. I know and love this mom; she just radiates Christ. Her family is so loving and so in love with Jesus, that I would love to just sit in a little corner of her living room and soak up how they do life. But about six months ago, their youngest son died unexpectedly, not long before his third birthday. They have no explanation for his death. She shared last night about how this has changed her perspective. Before this tragedy, she loved and trusted God, and tried to regularly have quiet time with Him; since this great loss, she wakes up each morning running to Jesus, soaking in His word, letting Him show her His plans for her day and her life. She realizes that before this, she only let Jesus have those parts of her life that felt out of control, and she held onto the other parts. Now, she gives it all over to Him, every single day. She feels His love in even the tiniest details. She says, “My God is soooo big, but he is so intimate, too.”
About a week ago, I was talking with a friend and we ended up on the topic of children who are battling serious illnesses. My friend wondered aloud, why God allows pain and suffering, especially for little children like that. So I told her of that mom who lost her sweet boy. I said that, this side of heaven, we will never know why God numbered his days so few, BUT I have seen how God has already used even this for his glory. In the past few months, that family has already been to comfort and grieve with several other families who have experienced the loss of a child. Every single time I’m around that mom, she blesses me in some way with her love and wisdom, which she will humbly tell you all comes straight from Christ. Even when I took a meal to her house just a few weeks after her little boy’s death, talking with her blessed me so deeply. She has lived through unspeakable pain, and yet, instead of running from God, she and her family ran right into His arms. It’s easy to “have faith” when things are going well, but when it’s put to the test, what then? This family blesses me by showing me the most clear example of TRUE faith I have ever seen. After sharing that with my friend, she said, with tears in her own eyes, that now even she had been blessed by this mom. Every mother in that homeschool meeting last night was blessed, and will likely share this story with at least one more person. And if reading this has blessed you, then that ripple effect of this mom’s faith has gone even farther.
Coming back around to my original point. If time with God, taking in all He has to teach me in His word, isn’t my number one priority, why not??? I know God is big, and I’ve seen Him at work in tiny details, too. Isn’t that enough to wake up each morning eager to hear what He longs to tell me that day? How many times has He spoken and I’ve turned a deaf ear to him? And am I, like Ezra, really LIVING what I’m learning? I’m trying. And am I teaching it to others? To my daughter, yes. But am I missing opportunities to share with others around me? I am sorry to say that I think I am, and that is something I must change.
Lord, help me be more like Ezra, and to earnestly set my heart to learning, living, and teaching your Word. Amen!
UPDATE: that amazing mom has a blog of her own now ~ Live Hard, Love Hard.
