Recently I have been doing a reading plan for the bible, titled "why could we read the bible?" I have found it quite interesting. Yet today, this verse really caught my eye.
For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. (Ezra 7:10 KJV)
Are we doing the same?
It really made me think and question how much I have prepared my heart for the word and law of God. Have I embedded God's message on my heart? Am I actively seeking the word? If I'm honest I would say it is far easier to prepare your heart to just listen to the word than to actively seek it.
The second part made me think even more.
...and to do it...
Ezra had prepared his heart to do the word. Of course there are some parts of the word which are easy to do, others not so easy. In James, we are called to be doers not just hearers of the word.Are we acting on what we hear and read?
But I think what caught my attention the most was that Ezra was prepared to teach the word. He was prepared to share the word, to help people understand it. Are we prepared to do the same? It can be particularly difficult to teach the word, especially when we know it already but it is so important. People need us to explain the bible to them, to help them to understand God. We need to be prepared.
If we just seek Gods word, we will help nobody. But even if we just start acting on what we hear we will be showing others and teaching others. We need to be people who are willing to step out and teach others, help them to understand.
So Jesus, please help me when I seek your word. Please prompt me every day to prepare my heart. Help me to be a doer of your word. Please help me to be a good teacher of your word. Amen. X
