By Gary Cook

We trust God. At least we say we do and I think we really mean it. But do we then apply that trust to how we live our lives? Do we really leave things up to God? Do we pray for his help and then believe he will help us? Let’s take a look at an event from scripture that shows us how. It is found in the book of Ezra, chapter 8  verses 21-23

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. I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king. “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who would forsake him.” So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.

This is what faith in God looks like. And it worked.

Ezra 8:31 – 32    On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way. So we arrived in Jerusalem, where we rested three days.