Ezra 8:22   I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, "The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him."

   

Being a witness is sometimes a dangerous occupation! Being a witness for Christ means that we testify to his saving power, but once we have done that people will be watching to see if we will live by what we have said.

 

Ezra has just testified to the greatness of the Lord: “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.” He had spoken to King Artaxerxes after the king had decreed that they could return to Jerusalem to teach and re-establish the Law of God (see Ezra 7). Now they were carrying great wealth back to Jerusalem but because they had testified to the Lord's gracious provision and keeping hand, Ezra felt too embarrassed to go back to the king and ask for a detachment of soldiers to protect them.

 

It's a good thing to speak out words of faith, because then we have to live out that faith. Perhaps we have so few living out faith because so many don't speak out and testify by faith to the Lord's greatness and goodness. You want to become a person who truly lives by faith? Then start by speaking out the truths you find in Scripture and you'll find you have to start trusting the Lord in a new way!