Pastor Gregg Matte finishes the study of Ezra in chapter 9. The people of God had come out of captivity, faced opposition, seen God’s hand move to restore the temple, yet still entered sinful lifestyles. Just like us, they looked the same as the world—in worry, in anger, in relationships, in finances. Ezra doesn’t make more rules to change the situation, he starts with prayer and confession and calls on the people to do the same. After sin, we too are called to surrender—to confess and seek God’s ways over our own. When facing struggles, the “always answer” is to do His will and trust in His grace.
