Ezra 10:6~ Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib, where he spent the night, neither eating bread nor drinking water, for he was mourning over the faithlessness of the exiles.
At the close of the book of Ezra we see the exiles were marrying people that they should not have. They were marrying women and men from the surrounding lands that did idol worship. This was what happened before Israel was taken captive by Babylon and now they are returning to their old sin. They were forsaking what God commanded. Ezra heard about this and he went to the Lord first and then just wept and was so upset by this that he did not eat or drink. He had a heart for his people and knew what needed to happen, reform.
We hear this word "reform" a lot because the elections are happening and the those who are running use this word describing what needs to happen to our nation. There are some that may agree or whatever but we need to have this desire for the lost. The question that came up in my mind is how am I when I find out someone is in sin. I usually get mad and upset and bummed. But I can be honest it is not an attitude of mourning. I realized as I read Moses who would constantly lay himself out on the line for Isreal, he was the mediator between God and Israel. My attitude is this is what they deserve, God let your wrath come down. Where is the grace that needs to happen, where is the compassion for them. The truth is when I mess up, I need that one person who has compassion on me. We are so quick to judge and bring God's wrath and our own but do we mourn? Do we desire reform in their life? Do we desire for God to be glorified by the reconciliation
May we desire to seek God and for others to seek God as well.
PJ
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