Are you determined to please God?

Several times during our reading for today the idea that the hand of the LORD was on Ezra is expressed. This means that God was blessing the things of Ezra; He was causing good things to happen in Ezra’s life. The things that Ezra was trying to accomplish were happening because God was helping him. In our verse for the day we are given the reason why God was doing so much for Ezra. Ezra was doing three things that allowed him to be in a place where he could receive such an ample outpouring of God’s grace; he was studying, obeying, and teaching the Law of God. It is within these three things that we also can experience the same blessing that Ezra did. It revolves around the Word of God.

Ezra started by studying the Law of the LORD. This is so different than just reading. We must study the Bible which means that we are striving to understand what it says. Lots of people can tell you what the Bible says about something but they have not studied to tell you what that means. Not only did Ezra study what the Law said but he was obedient to what he learned. Knowing and understanding what the Bible says is useless unless you are doing what you understand. Obedience is one of the keys to receiving God’s blessing in your life.

The last step in Ezra’s path to abundant blessing is teaching the Law of the LORD to others. This is the step that many people leave out in their relationship with God; teaching others. The Great Commission tells us to teach others to obey. This is not the role of just the pastors or elders or leaders; it is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone that wants to experience the kind of relationship with God that Ezra was experiencing, needs to be being all three of these things; studying, obeying, and teaching.

The phrase that really struck me in this verse was ‘Ezra had determined’. Ezra had made a decision and was determined to do these things that we have seen above. It is in our choices that all of our relationship with God is found. Ezra chose to do the things that he believed would please God. He was right; they did please God and He blessed Ezra because of this choice.

Too many people in this world have made choices that do not allow them to do the things that Ezra did. If you are too busy to study God’s Word so that you understand it; you are too busy. If you are struggling obeying God’s word, it is because you have made decisions that draw you away from God. If there is too much going on in your life to take the time to teach others about God, then the things you are doing may not be pleasing to God. Determine to do what you know will please God and He will be pleased to bless you. Jesus, help us to choose to study, obey, and teach others about You.

Read: Ezra 7:1-8:20; 1 Corinthians 4:1-21; Psalm 30:1-12; Proverbs 20:28-30