‘Now make confession to the Lord, the God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.’ Ezra 10:11 (NIV).
The people had been unfaithful to God by marrying foreign women from the nations around them. And so they confessed their sin to God, as Ezra suggested. But they did more than just repent of their sin. They changed their ways too. They asked for direction in restoring their relationship with God. And then followed through by obeying what God showed them to do.
True repentance does not end with words of confession. It must lead to corrected behavior and changed attitudes. It must lead to a new way of behaving. When we sin and are truly sorry, we confess this to God asking for His forgiveness and accepting His grace and mercy. Then we need to make the needed corrections.
In this case, the men were to send away their foreign wives and children as an act of their repentance. Although this measure was extreme, intermarriage to pagans was strictly forbidden (Deuteronomy 7:3,4). Sometimes after we repent to God of our wrong, He may tell us to change our ways in a fashion that is extremely painful or difficult.
We may have to surrender a habit that is comforting or addictive or an activity that we just can’t imagine giving up without a huge cost. This was the case for the Israelite men who had formed marital bonds and alliances with pagan women.
Prayer:
‘Dear Lord, help me to follow you first. Show me what I need to repent of and where I need to change so that you alone will be all that I seek. Thank you.’
In Jesus’ Mighty Name,
AMEN!
Final Thoughts:
If we are serious about walking close with God and putting our relationship with Him first, then nothing else is to come first. No person, no habit, no wrong attitude, not even an activity that is good and pleasing to God must come before our Father Himself.
What might we be involved in just now that flies in the face of putting God first? Are we ready to repent and ask Him to help us surrender what offends Him?
Be Greatly Blessed!
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