PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Ezra 9-10
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Honor the Lord… separate yourselves from your foreign wives.”(Ezra 10:11)
I struggle with today’s reading, and with how the Lord speaks through it today.
The problem was not just marriage, it was their sin-accommodating hearts and ways.
Those compromising religious practices included promiscuity, sexual abuse, child sacrifice.
It is good that the people repent here… but what about the women and children?
I believe God inspires this story to show us the horrible results of forgetting God.
It is descriptive, not prescriptive; it is not telling us to do what Ezra did!
These are wisdom stories meant to teach the seriousness of our choices and actions.
Actions have consequences, and foolish actions have devastating consequences.
Jesus saves us from the guilt of our actions, but also helps us choose better responses.
We can’t clean up our crap by spreading more crap; we need his help to do what is good.
Whatever we make of this, we know Jesus would NOT ask us to abandon people.
Jesus did not join sinners in their sin, neither did he abandon sinners in their sin.
As Jesus followers we look to Jesus – not Ezra – to discern God’s better way!
I sense Jesus forgiving me, but also helping me to overcome the mess with grace!
PRAYER
Lord, grace does not sin against others, but neither does it abandon sinners. Use this story to show me the serious mess of my foolish ways, and the better way of your grace to me.
How do I stay faithful to the Lord! It was a constant challenge for the Israelites and even in the remnant again it happened. God had commanded that they not intermarry with people that had detestable practices – God knew the vulnerability – and that continues to exist. How do we stay faithful? Even people whom we respect and hold up we find have fallen – as do we ourselves. The Israelites were supposed to be a nation of priests – to bless the people’s around them – so we too as believers are to serve our neighbours -but there is a limit as to how much we should become like them – we are not a witness of the Good news of grace and salvation if we don’t bear witness to it in an inviting and positive way. We need the help of the HS to do this and to keep us faithful and to remind us when we are not.
Do this and live is what the Master says. Live and do this.
The people went their own way and did not live according to the Word of the Lord. Be a separate people. Stand on the promises of God and not man. God is in control also today. I need to stand on the promises of God for His people/for me. It is in His power and guidance that I can go forward this day serving Him – God’s way.
Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.
Refrain:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises I now can see
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call,
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.