“For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, ‘The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him” (Ezra 8:22)

The road between Babylon and Jerusalem was 900 miles, and the trip took four long months because the caravan included not only old people and children, but livestock. The danger from bandits and armies of political enemies was real, but because Ezra didn’t want the king to say, “I thought you said your God would protect you”, he didn’t ask for a military escort.

So the pilgrims set out without adequate protection, according to the wisdom of the world. How does this apply to us today?

Are you willing to risk everything for the sake of honoring your God? Yes, you can rationalize that Ezra was tempting God, but is it right for us to second-guess him?

It’s a good thing to know you’re willing to die for Christ. In fact, He warned, “he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 10:38–39). The early church took this literally, and died by the thousands because they wouldn’t deny Christ.

This doesn’t mean we look for trouble. After all, Christ said, “don’t cast your pearls before swine”(Matthew 7:6), and, “When they persecute you in this city, flee to another” (Matthew 10:23), and Paul and Barnabas fled the raging mob when they had an opportunity (Acts 14:6), but don’t keep your mouth shut to avoid discomfort.

“Whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in Heaven” (Matthew 10:32–33).

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