Daily Devotions

Ezra 8:21-23 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
22 For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.
23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.
KJV
Ezra would not ask the king for a band of soldiers to protect the people as they returned to Jerusalem for he had already stated that God would protect them. But that band was needed, so what to do? Prayer and fasting, prayer and fasting, that was the answer and God did protect the people. What has happened to prayer and fasting? I heard a missionary once say that in America prayer and fasting has been replaced by feast and fellowship in most churches. I fear that is true in many individual lives as well. It would do us all much good, including myself, to spend more time in prayer feeding our spirit and less time at the table feeding our body. Ezra saw once again the protection and provision of God because he and the people sent much time before God in prayer.

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 24th, 2026 at 5:37 am and is filed under Daily Devotions. You can skip to the end and leave a response.