Tuesday, November 2
Despite their fear
Scripture:
Ezra 3:3 Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices.
Observation
The exiles returned from Babylon to Jerusalem and began rebuilding the altar and the temple. They did this in spite of opposition—opposition that we learn lasted for decades, from 535 BC to 423 BC! Much of Ezra-Nehemiah is about facing and overcoming this opposition, which ranged from discouragement, threats, appeals for government intervention, to outright physical attack.
They started the work “despite their fear.”
Application
John Wayne famously said that courage is being afraid but saddling up anyway.
Courage isn’t the absence of fear, but it’s moving forward despite it. And that’s what happens in this story. The danger was real; they went ahead despite their fear.
Where is fear holding me back? Making me hesitate? Is there anything God has asked of me where I’ve hesitated because of fear?
That’s what I’m thinking about today!
Prayer: Lord, I want to follow You courageously. I’m currently unaware of any fear holding me back, but as I meditate on this today, I invite You to show me if it is. Give me courage to follow despite the fear!