Bold Humility

SCRIPTURE: Ezra 8:22 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."

OBSERVATION: Ezra found himself in a pickle. He told the king how great and awesome God is, so it seemed inconsistent to ask, "By the way, king, could you send some bodyguards with us? We're afraid of our enemies." It didn't make sense. Now here he is, and the people that are with him, in a very precarious position. They were vulnerable to enemy attack, and they knew it. They would not have felt this sense of vulnerability if the king's guards had been there.
It's a funny thing about vulnerability -- it leads you to do radical things. Because of this vulnerability, Ezra calls a fast of all the people. They fasted and prayed and humbled themselves. Vulnerability has a way of bringing about humility.
God loves the prayer of the humble.
God answered their prayer.

APPLICATION: Is my life and my trust consistent with my words? If I say God is a great provider, do I really live that way? If I say that God is a great protector, do I really live that way? Ezra was ashamed to let his words and his actions be contradictory and inconsistent. Am I?
Do I let vulnerability drive me back into a corner or let it produce in me a bold humility? A bold humility fasts and prays. A bold humility is greater than the strength of an entire army.

PRAYER: Jesus, I am vulnerable today and everyday. There are fears and enemies all around. I call out to in in humility. Amen.