Falling Off the Wagon
I’m glad that today was not as busy as it has been the past few days. It was good to take care of my morning conference call and get some office work accomplished. I did have a massage appointment this afternoon, but changed my scheduled fitness workout. Instead, I needed an afternoon nap, before heading off to a late afternoon meeting and an evening meeting.
This has been an interesting test of my endurance. It has also helped me realize that I can’t return to old work patterns, schedules and stress even if I want to.
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… āWe have been unfaithful to our God by marrying women from the peoples around us. But even so, there is still hope for Israel.Ā Now let us make an agreement before our God…” Ezra 10:2,3 NCV
The Israelites were settling back into Jerusalem and the Temple was built. Life seemed to be returning to normal. But for the Israelites a return to their “old normal” was not good. Ezra went into mourning when he heard this report. “…the leaders came to me and said, āEzra, the Israelites, including the priests and Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the people around us.” (Ezra 9:1)
This may sound odd to the modern day ear. But when God’s people moved into the Promised Land they were told not to intermarry with the Canaanites. The purpose was so that they would remain loyal to the Lord and not be drawn away to worship foreign gods.
We see that King Solomon was one of the greatest offenders in breaking this command. When he grew old his wives drew his heart away from sole devotion to the Lord and altar to idols and foreign gods were introduced amongĀ God’s people. This became the Achilles heel for the children of Israel. Their disobedience and rebellion and idolatry grew over the years until the Lord allowed them to be taken captive by the nations whose idols they worshiped.
Now that there time of judgment was over and they were returning to their home, in the course of time they slipped into the same routines. Ezra’s response to the news was dramatic, “I angrily tore my robe and coat, pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat down in shock.Ā Everyone who trembled in fear at the word of the God of Israel gathered around me because of the unfaithfulness of the captives who had returned.” (Ezra 9:3-4)
Ezra showed strong leadership in calling the people to repentance and in actions to correct the “error of their ways.” The Book of of Ezra interestingly ends with a list of those who hadĀ married foreign women. That’s a public record of wrong you don’t want to be a part of.
We need to pay attention in our lives today. When we are addressing an issue in our life or making a “life change” in a new direction, there will be the temptation to fall back into old patterns. This requires focused attention and not taking life for granted and “letting our guard down.” There is a leadership adage that goes something like this, “un- seized time (and thoughts) flows to the area of our weakness.” You can’t establish a “new normal” by doing what you did before and living life that way you did before.
The good news is that correction can be made. We see in Ezra this meant repentance and confession of sin and taking steps to change. It meant, for the people, obedience to their leaders. They committed to following the advice of the godly leaders.
It also requires, at times, requires strong leaders to step forward. The people spoke to Ezra and said, “Get up, Ezra. You are in charge, and we will support you. Have courage and do it.ā (Ezra 10:4 NCV) With the help and encouragement of these other leaders correction was made.
Finally, we can take heart in the Lord’s grace and forgiveness. He stands ready to secure our steps and our destiny in Him,Ā “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall,Ā for the Lord upholds him with his hand.” Psalm 37:23,24 NIV
And if we fall…He will pick us up again!