December 13, Reading 1 – Ezra 9

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

The danger of idolatry was very strong. An unequal yoke makes life very difficult and laborious for a believer. It is the parents who are arranging such marriages for reasons of wealth and commerce. This was an age where young people minded what their parents thought and wanted.

SJA Notes

* God Above, please help us to ponder the path of our feet, that all our ways would be sure. Help us not to swerve to the right or to the left, help us to turn out feet away from evil.

“… I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens.”

Here is a clear example of penitent prayer. Ezra patterns this for us.

David prays similarly in Psalm 51, and in Psalm 85 we read his crying out and calling on the Lord’s faithfulness.

Paul has a word regarding the sort of situation that Ezra managed with the people at that time,

“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?”

Sometimes we need a shock like this, and a response such as Ezra’s,

“As soon as I heard this, I tore my garment and my cloak and pulled hair from my head and beard and sat appalled.”

This is a hard word, and important word.

What partnership has righteousness with lawlessness?

* Dear Lord,

Please turn our hearts and minds to Your wisdom today.

Please remind us of what we read, teach us today from Your word.

Amen.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.