Don't Just Say You Believe, Live It

Have you ever set God up to show up? Ezra did. And God showed up.

I'm not talking about tempting God. As in, "God, I'm going to toss myself off this building, prove yourself real by saving me." No, that's tempting God and it is explicitly rejected in scripture. 

When Ezra saw that no Levites had accompanied the people back into the land on his return from Babylon, he had to send them to come and join the work. A temple without the Levitical priesthood is not operational and this would be a problem. Ezra cannot empower a spiritual reform if the spiritual leaders are not present for it!

Ezra finds out that the Levites have located themselves in large numbers in a place called Casiphia, perhaps on the fringe of Babylon. He sends for them to come as many are willing... and the results speak for themselves...

Ezra 8:18–20 (ESV) And by the good hand of our God on us, they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli the son of Levi, son of Israel, namely Sherebiah with his sons and kinsmen, 18; 19 also Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, with his kinsmen and their sons, 20; 20 besides 220 of the temple servants, whom David and his officials had set apart to attend the Levites. These were all mentioned by name.

Getting the Levites to come is one thing, Transporting them safely in the ancient world almost 800 miles away is another thing. I bring you to Ezra's decision in this matter: He sets up God to show up:

Ezra 8:21–23 (ESV) Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. 22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” 23 So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

Ezra needed spiritual clout in the eyes of the people if he was going to lead them back to God. He gets a boatload of it here. He calls on the priests to fast and humble themselves before God. He does this because he was not going to present fear to the king of Persia after being given this charge to lead God's people in the ways of the Lord. I honestly love this moment in Ezra's life. He will not believe God is able without putting himself in a position to trust Him.

I can honestly say the modern church needs to wake up to this reality. If I learned anything about the Church over the last 20 months of this global pandemic it is this: Many "believers" are full of as much fear and anxiety over death as unbelievers! This must never be! When the Church acts like the world in the face of challenges and hardship we basically tell the world we are just like them. A Church with no difference compared to the world makes no difference in the world.

Now I'm not suggesting you should live risky lives. I am saying that your response to the dangers of the world should not mimic the response of people far from God! Ezra was facing serious danger, transporting 220 of his fellow countrymen and their families across the world. He knew he had a secret weapon - the weapon of prayer and fasting. He had already told the king God was able to do this for him, now the rubber needed to hit the road. He put God in a position to show up, and God did. Big time. And we have a chance in our generation of fear to do the same. 

The world needs to see courage on display exhibited in the people of faith. Let us not simply be "believers" in name only, let's pray, let's seek God, let's see Him move!

P.S. - I wrote a book trusting God to move in faith. You can buy it here.