June 24

“For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD…” Ezra 7:10

Ezra had been directed by God and had found favour with the Lord, to do a special work and carry out a mission. He prepared his heart to carry out the threefold task of seeking the law of God, doing it, and teaching it to the people of Israel. His heart preparation is a significant aspect of true leadership. Spiritual leaders, who would please God with their service, are people who prepare themselves thoroughly and consistently. The athlete would not be ready to compete without his physical preparation, which often amounts to daily toil in strenuous exercise. The artist could not paint the variety of colours needed without suitably mixing and preparing them on his palette. The musician would not produce any intelligible or pleasing sounds, without first tuning his instrument. In the same manner we cannot really do God’s bidding, without appropriate and sincere heart preparation. Ezra gives us a good example of how we should prepare ourselves. He started in the right place and so should we. God’s word, His law, His thinking, His wisdom and authority, should be the starting place for all our preparation. Like Ezra also, it should become more than just head knowledge however, and develop into what we ‘do’. It should form the basis of all our thinking, understanding and action. It should guide our decisions, choices and preferences. It should touch and affect every area of our lives and influence all our desires. Only when we truly ‘do’ God’s word, willingly, faithfully, with willing discipline and joyful desire, can we really teach it to others, and be effective leaders. Pray that God give us leaders like Ezra, who are willing to prepare their hearts the right way, and personally practice what they have learned from God that they may positively affect others with their teaching and example! 

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