Ezra 9:5

Ezra 9:5 says, And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the Lord my God,  Ezra had spent the day with a heaviness in his heart and at the evening sacrifice, he got up and having already torn his garment and mantle, he fell on his knees and spread out his hands to God.  We as Christians should have a heavy heart about the condition of the world today, and we need to cry out to God in humbleness.  

Verse six adds, And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens. Ezra said he was left blushing when he lifted up his face to God, because of the iniquities and trespasses of the people of Israel.  Since we refer to ourselves as a Christian nation, we should be blushing in shame and praying to God for forgiveness when we are seeing all the iniquity in the world today.  We should never just begin to accept it as normal, nor should we ever let anyone force us to accept what God has declared as sin to be acceptable.  

Verse seven continues, Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.  Ezra said because of the sins of the people of Israel from the beginning, from their kings on down to just the ordinary people, had been delivered into the hands of other nations, once again being a captive people.  If we call ourselves a Christian nation and yet turn away from God’s commandments, we should not expect Him to keep us free forever.  

Verse eight concludes, And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.  Ezra said God had left a remnant by His grace that were going to be allowed to escape from bondage.  We as followers of Christ have already escaped from the bondage of sin, and we are part of the remnant of God’s people today.  We need to thank Him daily and come humbly to Him for guidance and forgiveness if we do sin, and we need to lift up the nation to Him as well.  Of course, as always, it starts by accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord.