Corona Devo 1121

And there by the Ahava Canal, I gave orders for all of us to fast and humble ourselves before our God. We prayed that he would give us a safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we traveled.   ~Ezra 8:21

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Have we prayed that God would give us a safe journey today?  That He will protect us, our children (if applicable) and our goods as we travel through the day? 

Does it seem silly to ask God for this?  It shouldn't.

Do you pray similar prayers?  

Ezra did, and he (a prophet of God) gave orders for all who were with him to fast and humble themselves before God (Ezra 8:21) as they readied their hearts for asking God's blessing on their journey. 

First, Ezra gave orders for all of them to fast. To cleanse themselves. To clear out any impurities within them and to get physically clean within-themselves before God.  Ezra gave orders for them to stop gorging on the world and to prepare to be satisfied by God alone. 

Lord, cleanse us, and help us to abstain today.  May we step-back-from and choose-to-resist garbaging up on the fillers of this world.  May we grow hungry for You alone.  Empty us so that we might be filled by You.  Amen.         Ezra gave orders for all of us to fast... (Ezra 8:21)

...and humble ourselves before our God.  ~Ezra 8:21

If we are to ask God's blessing on our journey today, then we will need to humble ourselves and realize that we are not in control of the journey.  Humility means a purging of our pride.  Of our will, of our way.  If we humble ourselves before our God, then we are making an active choice to honor God above ourselves and that's the only place that true (and effective) prayer can begin.

Ezra knew that.  He knew something else too...faith.  He knew how hard, unknown, and out-of-comfort-zone faith-in-God is.  It's believing God for what He has said or promised, even when we cannot yet see it.  That's hard.  That's faith though.  Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.  ~Hebrews 11:1

Ezra had faith and he demonstrated it.  He trusted God to protect them from enemies along the way, even though he had fears about those enemies.  But Ezra's faith was bigger than his fear.

For I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to accompany us and protect us from enemies along the way. After all, we had told the king, “Our God’s hand of protection is on all who worship him, but his fierce anger rages against those who abandon him.” (23) So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer...

(31) We broke camp at the Ahava Canal on April 19 and started off to Jerusalem. And the gracious hand of our God protected us and saved us from enemies and bandits along the way. (32) So we arrived safely in Jerusalem...  ~Ezra 8:22-23, 31-32

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Have we prayed that God would give us a safe journey today?  That He will protect us, our children (if applicable) and our goods as we travel through the day?

Does it seem silly to ask God for this?  

It shouldn't.

Every car-driven vacation or trip that we take begins its first miles with a prayer led by a willing passenger (or driver) asking the Lord to bless and watch over our travels, vehicle, persons, and trip.  And He has.  

Having grandparents in Florida meant that our children were blessed to board airplanes at young ages, but long before our day of departure, I would pray for our kids to be well-behaved and quiet on the flights and for God to give us a safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we traveled.  

We're not in control...God is.  

Let's invite Him into our journey today, but let's get real about it.  Fast and humble ourselves before our God.  

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Perhaps we're traveling far...beginning a trip.  Have we prayed that he would give us a safe journey and protect us, our children  (if applicable), and our goods as we travel?  

Perhaps we are traveling near...work or school, or even errands.  Have we prayed that God would give us a safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we travel?  

Perhaps we are traveling metaphorically or emotionally today: Journeying through our tasks, our thoughts, our past or our future.  Even if we're not leaving the house-- have we prayed that God would give us a safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we travel?  

Does it seem silly to ask God for this?  It shouldn't.  

And having faith along the way will make all the difference: And the gracious hand of our God protected us and saved us from enemies and bandits along the way. (32) So we arrived safely... (Ezra 8:31-32).

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com