Prayers of Ezra and Nehemiah

Ezra and Nehemiah took up the long journey to Jerusalem from Babylon during the time of King Artaxerxes.  Ezra took up his journey in the King's 7th year and Nehemiah in the King's 20th year.  Both of them fasted and prayed for the remnant and the task that lay ahead and initiated extensive moral reforms.  But what caught my attention was the fact that both Ezra and Nehemiah did not distance themselves from the actions of the people. Nehemiah prayed saying, "both my father's house and I have sinned" (Neh 1:6). Ezra prayed saying, "O my God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God; for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the heavens." (Ezra 9:6).  The two men identified themselves with the sins of their people and sought forgiveness of the Lord, even though they were faithful!

We can learn something from their prayers.  Ezra and Nehemiah did not point their hand to the people who had sinned. We may be tempted to be like the Pharisee in the parable of the Pharisee and the publican (Luke 18: 9- 14).  The Pharisee thought he was superior and thanked God that he was not a sinner like the publican.  We, as a nation, are facing tremendous pressure on all sides. While Covid-19 is ravaging the whole country, locust invasion in Rajasthan, floods in Assam, Amphan cyclone landfall in West Bengal, and Chinese aggression on our northern border, are threatening to destabilize us as a nation.  At a time like this, it is easy to look at corruption, rape, and other social ills in our society and say 'others' have sinned.  It is easy to look at gay marriage, abortion, and other issues and say 'others' have sinned. What we have to realize is that we are a part of that same society.  Jesus said that we are the salt and light.  If we had lived our lives like salt and light, our community would not have deteriorated like this.  So in a way, we are just as responsible as 'others' are.  Our failure to live out the love and values of Jesus Christ has resulted in this moral decline.

My friend, we are called today to confess all the sins and seek the Lord Jesus so that we will receive mercy! May the Lord hear our prayer and answer us when we call!

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