Trembling Before God

“All the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days … All the people sat in the public square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and the heavy rain.” – Ezra 10:9 NASB

These men trembled as they sat in heavy rain. It was a sobering moment.

They had been confronted with the Word of God. They had seen Ezra weeping and prostrating himself, impacted by this Word. They heard Ezra pray and make confessions. They knew he had returned to Jerusalem to restore biblical worship. He had been devastated by the sin in the land.

Ezra called on everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel to gather. Sitting in the rain, these men had the opportunity to ponder the past and think about the sins in their own lives and how their ancestors had been taken into exile because they had been unfaithful, worshipped idols, and abandoned God.

How would they respond? Return to their corrupt ways? Or commit their lives to God? They chose to serve Him, humble themselves, obey Him, and turn away from their mistakes.

All of us can make the same kinds of mistakes. We can yield to excuses and justifications. We can compromise with the world. We can allow sin to corrupt our lives and separate us from God.

Today, come before God. Sit at His feet. Ponder His Word. Don’t take Him for granted but ask Him to penetrate your heart and convict you of sin. As He leads, be ready to repent. Commit to obeying His Word. Worship Him in awe.