Faith in Action
“Some Christians are so heaven bound that they’re no earthly good!” My first bible study teacher said that often...It left an impression on me. Namely, that faith is important, but we demonstrate our faith when we act upon it. A person who never gets off their knees praying for those in need to go and actually help someone in need, never realizes the full power of their faith. In this week’s lesson (Ezra 10:1-12), we see Ezra distraught over the sin that God’s people were living in. In his distress, Ezra prayed, wept, fasted, confesses…and then he took action! I’m praying that God will incite you to action for His kingdom this week.
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 Shekaniah 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.” (Ezra 10:1-4) Ezra having returned from exile in Babylon learns of the people’s disobedience to God and goes into prayer, repentance and mourning for them. Although he is guilty of nothing himself, Ezra beseeches God on behalf of these people who have previously been in exile from the land of promise, but having been set free, are still not following God’s prescription for how they are to live. Seeing Ezra’s contrition, they recognize their sin and acknowledge it with weeping and confession. They proposed a covenant with God to correct their sin and asked Ezra to lead the nation in repentance with their full support. Repentance requires us to separate ourselves from our sin…even when it is painful to do so.
So Ezra rose up and put the leading priests and Levites and all Israel under oath to do what had been suggested. And they took the oath. Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he was there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles. A proclamation was then issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem for all the exiles to assemble in Jerusalem. Anyone who failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, in accordance with the decision of the officials and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles. (Ezra 10:5-8) Ezra first enlisted the leaders among the returned exiles and swore them to the covenant oath. Ezra also fasted during this period of mourning, which is a sign of how deeply He was seeking God on this matter. When you read chapter 9, you see that Ezra was very concerned that the wrath of God might cause the people to go back into captivity because of the nation’s sin. So, the proclamation that went out requiring the assembly of all exiles in Jerusalem was serious and had the full backing of the nation’s leaders. God takes our transgressions against Him seriously, but in His grace and mercy, “he does not treat us as our sins deserve” (Ps 103:10). He gives us the opportunity to take action and come back to Him.
Within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. And on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people were sitting in the square before the house of God, greatly distressed by the occasion and because of the rain. Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt. Now honor the LORD, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.” The whole assembly responded with a loud voice: “You are right! We must do as you say. (Ezra 10:9-12) God’s people responded to the summons to the national meeting in Jerusalem. They met in the place of the new temple, outside in the rain. Ezra spoke to them about their specific transgression and prescribe the actions necessary for their repentance. The solution, separation from the influence of the foreign people around them and separation from their foreign wives who had not converted (and children of those unions). The people loudly agreed. And in verses 13-14, the people requested time to identify and follow through on the family separations that were necessary. Decide to remove the things that keep you from God. And then seek God’s wisdom and guidance to help you achieve it.
When we think of Dr. King, Rev. Ralph Abernathy and so many others in the civil rights movement, we recognize that they put action to their faith. They believed in a mighty God, and they believed that they had to act in order to liberate a people and help redeem the soul of a nation. The Derek Chauvin trial, the inability to enact common sense gun control, disparities in treatment of poor and oppressed people, all reminds us that that work is not done. We must still be engaged in the battle for justice, liberation and the soul of this nation. Pray hard. Seek God. And then take action…turn back to God and do the work He has given our hands to do.
Blessings,
Rev. Glenn
