S154P9 – Sincerity in prayer: Ezra
Ezra 10:1-2
While Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children, gathered to him out of Israel, for the people wept bitterly. And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, addressed Ezra: “We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this.”
The scriptures tell us that the prayers of the righteous bring forth much fruit. The concept is clear because it makes sense that God would answer the prayers of those who are aligned with him in purpose. Personally, I have viewed this idea pretty narrowly. I expect that the righteous prayer for provision would yield the provision prayed for. The righteous prayer for peace brings peace. What I certainly have failed to realize is that prayer can yield fruit much different than intended or expected. The question is whether our prayers can move God to do more than we ask. This passage seems to indicate that this is the case, and it should inform how we view our intercession on behalf of others.
Ezra had spent the prior chapter praying a rather long prayer of repentance. He was repenting not just for himself but for God’s people. He stood in the gap for all of them with his prayer, and others saw him before the house of God in such a state. What they saw, however, was not a show. They saw no dramatic performance for any superficial reason. They saw a man pleading with God on their behalf, and it moved them to plead as well. His repentance on account of everyone moved them to repent, too. Ezra approached God ready and willing to take on his people’s burden, and that display of his heart caused their hearts to respond. He prayed for them to receive mercy, and that resulted in the people truly changing.
There are many movements in this world. We have no shortage of causes to support, and each of those causes has something in common. Each was started by the move of an individual. Perhaps it would be beneficial to view prayer in this way. The words poured forth from one righteous heart can change the hearts of a whole nation. When we stand in intercession, we might get much more than what we seek. A humble prayer from a righteous heart might even be enough to move the whole world. Let our prayers come from such a place of purity and expectation. Father, help us to keep our hearts pure and sincere as we humbly intercede for others in prayer.