August 10, 2010

8-10-10 Tuesday, 7:00 am Springfield, 75 degrees, sunny.


I am ready to get to work today. Sunday felt great as many staff, pastors, and short-term missionaries were back in Springfield and worshipping at Wesley UM Church. The ebb and flow of the summer helps many people to refresh and retool, including me! Now I am ready for the rigors and complexities of shepherding this flock.

Ezra 10:1-44
While Ezra made this prayer of confession for the returning remnant of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, concerning their sin of marrying pagan women of the land, a very large crowd of people gathered and wept bitterly with him. Shecaniah suggested that there was hope for Israel, and that they should make a covenant with God to “divorce our pagan wives and to send them away with their children… let it be done according to the Law of God. Get up, for it is your (Ezra) duty to tell us how to proceed in setting things straight. We are behind you, so be strong and take action.”

I have long been intrigued by this chapter. Ezra the priest and scribe who led about 5,000 Israelites back to Jerusalem is praying and weeping as he lies face down in front of the temple. His main concern is that men who have returned with him have disobeyed God and threaten the people of God by not only marrying the pagan women of the surrounding people, but also risk adopting their customs and religious practices. This is so true even today, the danger that those who follow Christ will marry non-believers and bring trouble upon their families for decades, and even generations. Paul addresses this in the New Testament, as he says “do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.” I have seen the destruction this causes. Paul also says, that if you find yourself married to an unbeliever, and they want to stay married to you, that is fine. If they want to leave you, let them go.

Thus, when I read this chapter of Ezra, my heart goes out to the women who were so arbitrarily divorced, and their children. I understand how this was the best solution to bring the Israelites back into obedience to the scriptures, and Shecaniah tells Ezra “to be strong and take action.” Within 3 days all the people of Judah and Benjamin gathered on December 19. “They were trembling both because of the seriousness of the matter and because it was raining.” A plan is established to have representatives from the people look into the individual cases, and by March 27 they had finished dealing with all the men who had married pagan wives (verse 17).

This morning my conclusion and application is that it is so important to pay attention to God’s word. Actions taken, decisions made, ventures entered into that are contrary to God’s will always lead to conflict, pain, and loss. I have the responsibility to teach and encourage and warn, and to help people take action to realign their lives with the will of God. Guide me as your servant today, most holy Lord.