Seek, Do, Teach

Ezra 7:10 "For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments."

The Word of God is deliberate. The words are not just put there because that's where they were put. All Scripture comes from the inspiration of God Himself, therefore we know there is a purpose behind every word. In a way, what Ezra is doing here is what we in the New Testament are called to do - make disciples. Yet he didn't just go out and do it. There was a process.

The first step was to prepare his heart to seek the law of the Lord. The word 'prepare' means to make ready, to firmly establish. Ezra's heart was set on seeking, his heart was not about to move from that. He had made his mind up, he was dedicated. The second step was to do it. After he sought God's law, Ezra followed through. It went past a head knowledge (which puffs up) into a heart knowledge that brought action. God's law became Ezra's way of life. And finally the third step was to teach the statutes and judgments.

If Ezra had skipped any of these steps, he surely would've fallen flat on his face. But because he followed these steps, in this order, God blessed him with success. I am called to make disciples in a very similar way. Which step am I on? They are a continual process as we grow and mature, but one must follow the other.