Day 3 - Ezra 8:23

A Fasted Journey for Spiritual Renewal

Day 3

“So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.” -Ezra 8:23

Ezra was a priest and “scribe of the Law” who had “set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel” (Ezra 7:10). Not only that, he was also granted governmental authority to lead a group of Jewish exiles out of Babylon and back to Jerusalem. In Ezra 1, King Cyrus decrees the return of the Jews back to Jerusalem. By Ezra 7, a different king is ruling, Artaxerxes. Ezra received a royal letter from Artaxerxes which basically decreed that anyone of Jewish descent could return to the land of Judah with him. He granted the sojourners safe travel and essentially anything they wished from the Babylonian Kingdom, as well as massive amounts of silver and gold.

So why would Ezra command the people traveling with him to fast? The most powerful ruler in the world at the time gave them anything and everything they could want or need on top of giving them permission to leave Babylonian captivity and return to their homeland. Ezra 8:21-23 covers “the why.” Verse 21 says Ezra “proclaimed a fast there…that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods.”

Because of Ezra’s stout commitment to study, follow and teach God’s statutes, he knew of God’s sovereignty. He knew that whatever was coming for them on this journey would come. Yet he also knew that, as the psalter put it, “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” Ezra concluded, because of his commitment to God’s Law, that humbling themselves and putting themselves in God’s care entirely, would only benefit the people, regardless of the outcome. Yes, they had legitimate concerns for their journey, but they cast their concerns, through prayer, onto God. Ezra knew that regardless of what might befall them, humbling themselves and seeking God with fasting was the truest way to move forward.

Fasting certainly can have a humbling effect. I have already found myself praying and seeking God in a different way throughout the day. Fasting is not some magic trick to have your prayers answered by the way either, since God knows the intentions of the heart. Yet, it is a method by which you cast your dependence on God in a different way than we are used to; at least, that has been my experience thus far.

I am not a medical professional. This journal is about my spiritual path and about that which the Lord has placed on me. This is not medical advice, nor was this fast done for any medical purpose. If you have a medical interest, seek medical advice. If you have particular health concerns, seek medical advice and/or conduct your own research. Any fasting advice, effects, realizations or anything else related to my fast come from my personal reflection and experience. If you are considering fasting, consulting with a healthcare provider may be appropriate for you.