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the people around us think. "Despite their fear of the people around them, they built the altar on its foundations and sacrificed burnt offerings on it, both the morning and evening sacrifices." - Ezra 3:3---- Although they were afraid of those around them, those who lived near to this ruin of Jerusalem, they still worshipped God and carried out the appropriate sacrifices. ----Jerusalem was a ruin, it had no city walls, no defenses. It sat there looking rather weak, and the people knew this but that was not going to stop them worshipping God. ----The same should be true for us. We can often feel weak, isolated, alone and live in fear of those around us. But we have to make a stand, and through the action of standing up for what we believe in, we can trust God for protection. ----What good are our lives if we only live them truly when we have lots of Christians around us or when we are locked in the security of our room. After all that the Israelites had gone through, they were not about to let their fear get in the way of following God's commands. We should be the same, after all that Christ has done for us, how can we allow fear to stop us doing what He commands. ----We must live, true to God, at all times of the day, week and year. There are not set times when we can act one way and at other time when we can act differently. Sometimes we may find it easier, and sometimes harder, but however it feels we need to trust God, obay His word and rejoice that He, out God, is in control. 17/4/98 Written by Stephen Ogston |