Ezra 8:21 And there by the Ahava Canal, I (Ezra) gave orders for all of us to fast and humble ourselves before our God. We prayed that he would give us a safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we traveled. For I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to accompany us and protect us from enemies along the way. After all, we had told the king, “Our God’s hand of protection is on all who worship him, but his fierce anger rages against those who abandon him.” So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer.
Do you see? Ezra knew I would protect them. He was so assured of it he boasted of it before the king. Yet, he also knew that prayer and fasting were necessary, were the respectful way to approach me. He did not take my blessings for granted. He did not just throw up a quick “please do this” prayer when they needed me. He also really knew me, knew my Word, invested time in his relationship with me. That is what is missing today. My children do not humble themselves. You do not fast and pray. You throw up a few words once or so a week and believe that I hear. You do not spend daily time with me. You do not invest in knowing my Word. You do not attempt to really know me. You are acquainted with me, but so many of you do not really know me. That takes time. That takes effort. That requires a true investment of yourself and your resources. That requires being able and willing to not just talk to me, but to actually listen to me. To look for me in all things. To listen for my voice in all things. To recognize, internalize, even celebrate the the truth that I am in all things. I am not just in your Sunday service. I am not just in your random Bible reading plans. I am not just in the “Christian” movies you watch or music you listen to. I AM. I AM in all things. I AM with you, in you, before you, beside you, around you in every part of my creation. I see everything, hear everything, know everything, feel everything – even (and most importantly really) any and everything you are not capable of seeing, hearing, knowing, feeling. I know your innermost thoughts – even those you do not or can not acknowledge. I know the true state of your heart. I know your true motives. I know the whys and hows and whats and wheres of everything. So if that is true – and you are still my chosen beloved child – what is it that does not make you want to spend every moment with me? Why do you not want or are you not able to acknowledge me in everything? Why would you not want to get to know me better? To know my Word? To experience a true, deep, intimate relationship with me? Silly child, you are so wrapped up in those temporal things you can feel and see and touch and that bring you instant, temporary dopamine pleasure. Or you get so twisted up in your problems and lacks and needs and wants and desires that I cease to exist until you remember that you can ask me to take care of it all for you like a magician. Such a waste of your precious time. Do you not remember that you are only in this world for a short time? Do you not remember that you have an eternity to plan for? Where will that be? What will the quality of that eternity be? Are you saved? Great. Will you be with me for eternity? Ok. But, do you really know who you are spending eternity with? That seems like an important question to me. And when you arrive, what will the answer to my question “What did you do with the time, gifts, talents and resources I gave to you?” – what will your answer be? Will it be an answer you are comfortable balancing he quality of your eternity on?
Amanuensis 