Sun 28 Oct

Over the past few months I have been reading a book labelled as a New York Times best-seller. It is called “Bonhoeffer – Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy.” I had heard of Dietrich Bonhoeffer but I really knew next to nothing about him. So when the opportunity came to purchase 600 page biography of his life I took the plunge and purchased the book. To get to know him and what drove him I knew I needed to read the book if I was to learn anything of the man.

Last week we finally met Ezra whose book we have been studying. The book named after him tell us a little about the man, but Curiously the 10 chapters in the book, only four of them have any mention of him. It is clearly obvious that Ezra did not want the focus on him, but instead on the God he followed. And to discover this God who has revealed Himself through creation, through His Son and through His Word, Ezra knew he needed to read the Word that spoke of God. So Ezra is a man who diligently set his heart to study God’s Word, so he could know God.

As we read Ezra 8 we discover that God is a God who keeps His Word when He makes a promise. God is a God who calls people to serve Him. God is a God who provides for His people. Ezra is called by God to lead a group of people back to Jerusalem. To do so He will hang on to God’s promises. God will have His hand on him. Whatever God calls you to do, He will keep His promises and His hand on you.