Reading your Bible for Today October 30

October 30: Ezra 9:5-8

KJV Key Verse: Ezra 9:8
8 And now for a little spacegrace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.

Devotion:
Ezra was a man who did not give up hope with God. So many people had turned their backs on God and, as a consequence, after being warned enough times, had lost their country to the enemy and were thrown back into slavery. How many times would they have to face slavery in their history before they realised that God was in control and that He wanted them to listen? Too many times in our lives we turn our back on God and continue to do our own thing. Too many times we ignore the warnings in our lives thinking we know best!

But Ezra's hope was for God's grace to be shown one more time. He had absolute faith that God's Word would be upheld and they would be shown grace so they could rebuild the country and be shown just how God was going to give us a perfect sacrifice! He knew God would never give up because God had already promised this would happen. He knew God would give a way out of their predicament, simply because it had been promised. He faithfully prayed this would come to pass.

Ezra had faith the small beginning he saw would grow into something a whole lot bigger as time went by, knowing how God was on their side and knowing that God's promises were still promises and remain promises to this day. We know we can depend on God's promises. History has shown us time and time again how we can depend on Him. History has proved He has never broken a promise. Yet we would rather believe in our own judgement than the truth as it stands in front of us!

We continue to be the ones who break the rules. God continues to be the faithful one who stands by us through everything. We continue to turn our backs on Him, He continues to remain waiting for us. We continue to sin; He continues to forgive and forget as long as we acknowledge Him as our Saviour!

Points to Ponder:
Wouldn't it be great to be able to believe everything our friends told us?

God's promises stand so that we can have faith in them!