From Blushing to Blessing

Ezra 9:6 “And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.”

What does it take to embarrass you? Now that’s an interesting question! I’m sure the answers would be numerous and varied. We just had a building on the Ranch painted that desperately needed to be painted-frankly-a long time ago. If that building had not been painted by the start of the summer, it would have been a constant source of embarrassment to me. Here, Ezra was embarrassed over a far more serious thing.

In verse 1 we see that upon their safe arrival at Jerusalem, Ezra was told that “the people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations. . . .” Not only had his own people been acting like the heathen, but also their bad testimony was being lived out before the king of Persia and other unbelievers. After all of the mercy and goodness that God had shown to them by paving the way for the rebuilding of the temple, they had utterly forsaken His commandments (verse 10). Ezra was ashamed, and rightly so! He prayed and wept before God in the sight of the people, and his shame brought conviction to the people of God as a whole (10:1-2).

In chapter 10, we see the first step toward change and the blessing of God: they took responsibility for their actions. Shecaniah in verse 2 says, “We have trespassed against our God. . . .” They acknowledged what they had done. But the end of the verse says, “Yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.” Hope! There is a difference between hoping that everything will just turn around and having hope that things will be made right. This was not just a wistful wishing on their part; it was a solid hope in God’s response to their repentance based on His character.

Are you going to live in shame before God today, or are you going to live in hope and courage before Him? It is up to you to recognize your sin for what it is and to take responsibility for it. Then know that there is solid hope in God based upon His character. If you will repent and take action against your sin, God will forgive and grant blessing again to your life. Let that give you courage to do what you ought to do today!