A New Start

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Ezra 9:5-15


TO CHEW ON: "Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the Lord my God and prayed: 'I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens.' " Ezra 9:5,6

Ezra and the people were overjoyed when they reached Jerusalem. There were cheers, tears of joy and hugs as old friends met again and families got re-acquainted. But it took only one meeting with the leaders for Ezra to find out that things here were far from perfect.

“The men have again begun to marry idol-worshiping women,” the leaders told him. “Even the priests and Levites are doing this.”

Ezra was shocked, terribly disappointed, and afraid. He tore his clothes, pulled hair from his head and beard, then sat on the ground in silence.

Why hadn’t the people learned their lesson? Would God now need to punish them again? Or would He give up on them and wipe them out altogether?

Soon others who were also loyal to God joined him. They sat there all day.



Finally in the evening Ezra got on his knees to pray. He raised his hands and cried out, “We’ve sinned. You told us not to become like the idol-worshiping people in the land, but we’re doing it again. Please forgive us and don’t destroy us completely.”



When onlookers saw Ezra’s reaction, they realized how serious their sin was. His prayer reminded them of how God wanted them to live without compromise. That day many decided to turn from their sinful ways. That day was the beginning of a new start with God in Jerusalem.

How easily we become like the Israelites and slip back into old habits and sins. But we don’t need to stay in them. We can ask for God’s forgiveness like Ezra did. We can stop our sinful habits and again live to please God. If we repent, God will give us a new start too.

PRAYER: Dear God, I have slipped back into old habits of ______. I want to turn back and follow You again. Please give me a new start. Amen.



MORE: Revival
When people who once followed God come back to Him, we call it a revival. A revival can happen to one person at a time. It can also happen to many people at once and affect whole churches, towns, cities, and countries. Ezra’s revival happened about 2500 years ago. Many revivals have happened since then. Below is a list of some of them. Pick out one and using books and the internet, find out how that revival started and what happened.

- the Welsh Revival - 1904

- the Azusa Street Revival - 1905

- the Hebrides Revival - 1949

- The Indonesian Revival - 1965

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Travel Protection

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Ezra 8:21-32

TO CHEW ON: "There by Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children and all our possessions." Ezra 8:21

Ezra hugged the king’s letter to himself. He could hardly believe it – permission to go back home! He opened the letter and read it again. Yes, there it was. Not only could he gather the people for the trip back to Jerusalem, but the king was also sending gold and silver to replace the temple furniture.

About sixty years had passed since the first exiles had returned to Jerusalem. King Xerxes and Esther were now dead and a new king, Artaxerxes, ruled in Babylon. Ezra, a man who had spent his whole life studying God’s laws, was the leader of the exiles.


Quickly Ezra spread the word that they could go home to Jerusalem. People packed their belongings and gathered at Ahava Canal from where they would set out. Soon the crowd had swelled to 1700 people. Everyone was eager to get going.

But Ezra was worried. The trip would be long. With all the gold and silver they were carrying, they would be a target for bandits. The king had offered to send some soldiers along to protect them. But after telling the king how powerful his God was, Ezra felt stupid accepting the king’s protection.

So now Ezra called everyone together. “Before we leave,” he told them, “we’re going to fast and pray for God’s protection on our trip.” And that’s what they did before they set out.

The 900-mile trip took four months. Though I’m sure everyone got tired and sore from walking all that way, every person and all their possessions arrived in Jerusalem safely. God answered their prayer.



Do you ever pray for God’s protection for everyday things like travel? God is able to protect us on our travels just like he protected Ezra and the exiles. Next time you set out on a trip – long or short – remember to pray for God’s travel protection.

PRAYER: Dear God, please protect me in all my travels today. Amen.

MORE: Travel
Travel was not common in Ezra’s time – before cars buses, trains and planes. The 900-mile trip between Babylon to Jerusalem may have been the first trip some of these people had taken. Chances are you’ve traveled much farther than that already in your life. Tell about some of your travels.


1. What is the longest trip you’ve ever taken?

2. Circle how you got there: car/van/truck boat bus plane train other ________

3. Name some other places to which you have traveled.

4. What is your favorite travel memory?

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Celebrate!

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Ezra 3:7-12

TO CHEW ON: "With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: 'He is good: his love to Israel endures forever' And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid." Ezra 3:11

Haggai’s message to put God first got everyone’s attention. Zerubbabel called the priests together. They decided to again worship God even though there was no temple in which to do it. They built an altar outside and again made the sacrifices and kept the feasts the way God had said.

Next they took a collection of money for building supplies. What a busy time followed, clearing away the rubble of the old temple and bringing in logs, cut stones and bricks for the new one.


Finally the day came when the foundation of the new temple was in place. That day they decided to celebrate. The Priests and Levites got dressed in their special clothes. They brought their trumpets and cymbals and praised God with singing and music like in the time of King David. Then all the people watching gave a shout of praise. God’s house was back!


What things do we celebrate? Certainly a new church is a good reason for a celebration. But we don’t have to wait for something so big to have a praise party. Baby dedications, baptisms, Christmas, Easter, weddings, birthdays – these are all good times to praise God and celebrate.

PRAYER: Dear God, You are so good to me. I want to include You in all my celebrations. Today I thank and praise You for __________ Amen.

MORE: Celebration Favorites
1. What events and special times do you celebrate in your home? In your church?
2. What things (like guests, decorations, foods, activities) make those celebrations special?
3. What’s the best celebration you remember?

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's.