i Am Nothing. HE is EVERYTHING.

For my personal devotions i've recently been reading the book of Ezra. Although i'm certain i've read the book before, never have i allowed God to speak to me through its pages. It's easy for me to forget the admonition of Paul in 2Tim. 3:16 when he says that ALL Scripture is inspired (literally, breathed out) by God.
Within Ezra, i've been able to see God at work fulfilling the promises He made to Israel's forefathers that the nation would always exist and that He would always preserve a remnant to return to the land.
What God especially showed me this past week is that HE changes the heart, NOT me. Ezra recounts the exciting ways in which God uses Persia to restore and rebuild the nation of Israel but then relates how Israel had turned from God and broke His law by marrying the people of the land. Even some of the Levites (priests) had taken wives from among the surrounding unbelieving nations and broken the very law of God they had been entrusted with upholding and maintaining.
What follows is Ezra's brokenness for what the people have done. He weeps and tears his garnment in a vivid display of his deep seated contrition over the sin of his people. Certainly, this type of penitance is very moving and in a sense admirable. Would to God i had such a perspective of sin. Yet the thing that God impressed upon me was not his display of grief and distress, it was his prayer that followed.
His godly sorrow led him to an emotional outburst, but Ezra's prayer led to national revival. Ezra says absolutely nothing to the people following their admission of guilt in breaking God's law. He passionately and desperately cries out to His God and God moves the hearts of the people to respond and to repent.
i often fall susceptible to the self-deceiving notion that ministry depends upon me. i think that somehow i've got to say the right thing or come up with a clever anecdote or show some kind of video clip in order to connect with those whom God has entrusted to me. Yet here i see one man on his face crying out to God on behalf of the people and THAT is what makes the difference.
Were i in Ezra's shoes, i would have undoubtedly been relying on my intellect to recall different passages of Scripture that might deal with repentance. i would make certain that i used multiple verses to create a compelling arguement and then cunningly try to wrap everything in a nice, neat, logical package so that God would use what i had proclaimed to change the hearts of the wayward.
Though certainly somewhere in the process prayer would have been cursory, it would not have been primary and that is where i fall so short. i depend upon the abilities and gifts God has given me instead of depending upon the God Who enables and gifts people for service. Planning, though important, is not what moves hearts--God does when we depend upon Him. It's only when i remember and practice that i am nothing and that HE is EVERYTHING that God can take this imperfect vessel and use it for something great. Otherwise, it's my glory and not God's.
What about you? Are you guilty of neglecting God and relying upon yourself? How much and how earnestly do you pray? Remember, we are nothing, but HE is EVERYTHING. Thanks for reading.