Ezra’s Assignment
Ezra’s assignment was rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem, and there were moments when it felt overwhelming. So here’s what he did: ‘We fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer.’ When you are willing to go without food and take the time to seek God with all your heart, He will respond to you. So, when should you fast? Let’s observe three things Ezra fasted and prayed for: 1) ‘…To seek from Him the right way for us…’ (v. 21 NKJV). Without God’s guidance, you are left to the mercy of your own best thinking, and that can get you into trouble you may not get out of in a hurry. God doesn’t want you travelling blindly into the future, hoping for the best. His promise to you is, ‘Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come’ (Jeremiah 33:3 NLT). 2) ‘…and [for] our little ones…’ (Ezra 8:21 NKJV). Because God Himself is a father, this much is sure: when you petition Him on behalf of your children, He gets involved in their lives! Samuel was moulded into one of Israel’s greatest prophets by the prayers of a godly mother called Hannah. 3) ‘…and all our possessions’ (v. 21 NKJV). If unemployment, the home foreclosure rate, and
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