Lessons from Ezra

I just love when God teaches us lessons. Yesterday, we were talking about honoring God and how we should stop each day and ask ourselves, “Are my actions honoring God? Are my thoughts honoring God? Am I honoring God in how I behave?” I asked the kids to look up verses about honor and we would discuss them today.

I myself,  also looked up verses in the Bible, and God brought me to Ezra. My concordance brought me to Ezra 7:27-28.

This caused me to look further into Ezra, and it made me smile how God really used this lesson. We have also been talking so much lately about knowing God’s Word and about really living what we learn. Well, Ezra’s life teaches us these very things. God tied in the verse to exactly what we were discussing.

That’s it. In a nutshell. Pure and simple. Those are the three things I want my children to do above all. If they can do those three things, then I have done my job.

• Know God’s Word
• Live God’s Word
• Teach it to Others

Sure they need to know math, and reading, and writing. But God’s Word above all else equips for life. It equips for eternity. I truly believe if we know God’s word and live it, He will equip us for everything else we need. He will bless us for honoring Him. The closer we are to Him in His Word, the more we will be equipped for whatever life hands us.

It’s really plain and simple. Sure we can focus on providing the fanciest of curriculum, or the elaborate studies…but it really all comes down to knowing God’s Word first and foremost. That is where true wisdom is found. Then living it and then passing it on to others. A simple truth that once we grasp, will allow us to do far more than we ask or imagine. God will use us to honor Him, when we know Him and make Him known.

Thank you Lord for this lesson today. You knew exactly what we all needed to hear. I  thank you for your Word and for the privilege to teach it. Now may I live it…