21 And there by the Ahava Canal I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.

22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for an escort of soldiers and horsemen to protect us from our enemies on the road, since we had told him, “The hand of our God is gracious to all who seek Him, but His great anger is against all who forsake Him.”

23 So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and He granted our request.

— Ezra 8:21-23

8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.

9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.

— Psalm 118:8-9

Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge.

— Psalm 62:8

Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

— Psalm 20:7

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and love from Christ to you.

Before the exiled Israelites who were returning to their ancestral land left Ahava, they deliberately sought God’s protection and blessing. They recognized the dangers of their journey but did not shrink back in fear. Through fasting and deliberate prayer, they looked to God, not human strength, as their source of safety and security. Through prayer, believers acknowledge both their need and God’s sufficiency. When God answers prayers, He receives the glory, and our faith in Him grows.

God listens when His people pray and He acts on their behalf. God may not always answer in the ways we expect, but the very practice of depending on Him through prayer trains our hearts to seek God and surrender to Him. There are times when pressing needs cause us to pour out to God. Let’s learn to trust God patiently and prayerfully because He recognizes our deepest needs and answers our prayers in His wisdom for His glory.