Rise Up! Lessons From Ezra On Walking With Your Head Held HighSample

Ezra makes his final appearance at the dedication of the walls of Jerusalem. Two large choirs, trumpeters, musicians, and leaders of Judah joined in a procession led by Ezra. As they walked, they played, sang loudly, and gave praise to the Lord. 

They dedicated the wall to God and worshiped Him for all He'd done. The Bible records, “Many sacrifices were offered on that joyous day, for God had given the people cause for great joy. The women and children also participated in the celebration, and the joy of the people of Jerusalem could be heard far away” (Nehemiah 12:43). 

Ezra, in his last biblically recorded act, is leading people in worship. Oh, that our last act would be one of worship! Why? 

Because God has had His gracious hand on us. He's helped us rise from our hurts, our mistakes, our heartbreaks, and our stagnant lives. He's helped us take courage as we've overcome obstacles and fears. The joy found in Him is like none other in the world. 

May we dedicate our lives to God and worship Him for all He has done. We have been rebuilt by the hands of the Lord. May every task we put our hands on be done as worship to Him. Let's make this declaration together: 

We no longer need to walk with our heads down! We can learn to walk with our heads held high! 

Let’s rise up! Our past mistakes and present hurts can no longer hold us back! We are not pressed down by our heartbreak or a same ol’ same ol’ kind of life. Confidence will be our stance. We will take courage! We will go hard after our dreams and do our best to stay authentic, courageous, risky, and real. We will walk with our heads held high while overcoming obstacles and disappointed dreams. We choose to live in faith, not fear. Let’s go do it! Embracing our calling, we recognize we are empowered to be who we are created to be. 

Rise Up. Take Courage. Go Do It.