• Events Schedule
• Small Groups
• Missions
• Alpha

• Amazon
• India

• Bolivia
• Kenya
• Uganda

• Richmond

Guest Author:  David Cho

Joel Schmidgall

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5-6

In the book of Ezra, a group of exiled Israelites returns to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple of God, which has been lying in ruins for nearly fifty years. With the help and generosity of their neighbors (Ezra 1:6, 2:68-69), the Israelites who have been called by the Lord (Ezra 1:5) make the journey from Babylon and, upon their arrival in Jerusalem, come together as a team (Ezra 3:1) to begin rebuilding the temple of God. Despite numerous difficulties and hardships, the Israelites successfully complete the temple through perseverance and God’s intercession in the circumstances around them.

In six very short days, we will set off on our own journey to bear witness to the work that God is doing in the country of Uganda. As we look ahead to what awaits us on this missions trip, it may be helpful to reflect on how the book of Ezra stresses the importance of teamwork in completing a significant and challenging task. According to Ezra 3:1, “the people assembled as one man” before beginning their work, and throughout his account, Ezra does not emphasize the actions of any one particular individual, but rather chronicles the collective efforts of an entire people. As we continue our Friday Fast and prepare for the work ahead of us, may we ask that God grant us unity and agreement during our time in Uganda so that our trip will ultimately be a successful one.

Prayer Fuel: Ezra 1-2, 3:1-6

Commentary