FAITH CAPSULE: Looking up to God is seeking God persistently.
Ezra 8
In time of confronting challenge, help comes from different avenue. However, where our help comes from will determine how challenge is resolved. Whenever a man look up to man for help challenge is bound to reoccur. Any man that makes the choice to look up to God for help in time of challenge is set to have challenge become permanently terminated. As a child of God help is always available when there is a look up to God. The psalmist testifies, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psalm 121:1-4) The psalmist must have been in a position or situation that called for help when he made his choice to look up to the hills for help. God is above all the hills and He is the loving Father who will not neglect any of His creation who makes the choice to look up to Him. Who do you look up to during your confronting challenges?
During the reign of King Artaxerxes, Ezra was to return to Babylon. There was a need for protection for the journey back to Babylon. Ezra made a choice to look up to God for protection. He testified, “Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions. 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.” So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer.” (Ezra 8:21-23)
God is a caring God and He cares for those who care to seek Him by looking up to Him. He is a Mighty Warrior that never fails. Looking up to God demands persistent faith. Persistent faith is seeking God diligently by not giving up until answer comes forth. Hebrew 11:6 buttress, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Keep on seeking Him there is no regret for those who seek Him diligently.
Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to always look up only to Him by seeking Him diligently.