PODCAST
The Work of the Whole
June 16th, 2020
Ezra 9:1-7
Throughout Ezra 9, the grief and sorrow of Ezra is tangible and easily visualized. Yet again, Israel has failed to follow the instruction of God. The people have not learned from the mistakes that originally led them into exile.
Israel is a community; the choices that households make have direct impact on the community as a whole. This issue of mixed marriage is not about ethnicity, but the choice to worship other gods, failing to remember God’s instruction: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:2-3).
This choice affects the whole community, and so, Ezra leads the community in lament, repenting of their corporate sin and guilt. God desires that Israel would be a light to the nations of the world, a means of grace and blessing. However, in order to be this blessing and light, Israel must, as a whole, give witness to who God is.
In what ways do we, as the body of Christ, continue to reflect light and blessing into the world?
Author: Sarah Coker-Voigt
June 16th, 2020 at 9:13 am
I was wondering why the link for the Bible reading is gone this month. Is that something that can come back? Thank you.