How strong are your Tent Pegs?

This week I've been reading out of the book of Ezra and finding that I'm really enjoying it this time around. Here are a few golden nuggets I've picked up through this year's reading.

Ezra 7:10 says, "For Ezra had set his heart to study to law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel."

If you jump to Neh. 8 we see that Ezra was making good on his desire to study, practice and teach when he read the book of the Law of Moses "before the assembly of men, women and all who cold listen with understanding" (Neh. 8:2). It is here that he read and taught from early morning until midday. While he read the people began to worship and bow down before the Lord God (Neh. 8:6). Because of this the people began to turn back to God.

Ezra 8:21-23 says, "Then I (Ezra) proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a safe journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions. For I was ashamed to request from the king troops and horsemen to protect us from enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, "The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but His power and His anger are against those who forsake Him. So we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He listened to our entreaty."

My study notes say of verse 22 that Ezra was talking about holy shame. He was practicing what he was studying and teaching - that he had faith in God's ability to protect them on their journey. In that time the those traveling was dangerous.

Ezra 9:5-15 is a prayer of confession for the guilt of the sin the people were in by intermarrying with the nations around them. Verse 9:8 says, "But now for a brief moment grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us an escaped remnant to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our bondage."

Even through their sin God had been keeping a remnant alive as He had promised David. I like what Ezra said about giving them a peg in His holy place. A peg (or nail) is like a nail driven into a wall or a tent peg driving into the ground. Compared to the rest of the tent the peg seems to be the smallest accessory. Yet, without it the tent would not be able to stand secure. The tent peg has to be strong, steadfast and do it's job. A weak peg will only cause the tent to become weak. In some cases it might be in a small spot but the consequences of one peg becoming weak opens the door for others to weaken and bring the tent down. We've experienced this last year while on our camping trip to Lake Wenantchee. Our first camping spot was beautiful. It overlooked the lake and surrounded by woods. Yet it was extremely windy. Putting a tent up in the wind is interesting. We'd get one or two pegs into the ground, turn around to do another only to have a big gust of wind whip under the tent and pull the pegs up. Why? Because we had a few cheap tent pegs. It weakened the whole tent and came out of the ground often during our stay. It wasn't until we moved off the ridge to a less windy spot did the tent pegs work. They were too weak to withstand the pressure.

I fell in love with Ezra's walk. His steadfastness in his constant desire to study, practice and teach. Even in times of danger he refused to turn to human resources to protect Him. It was evident in how God used Him in an important role in the history of preserving and turning His people back to Him. Oh Lord God, I pray that I may have that same desire to practice what I read and learn from your Word. May I be a strong peg for Your Kingdom. Amen

Krista Jones
5.23.08