Ezra 8:1-5: a reflection

1Now these are the heads of their fathers’ households, and this is the genealogy of those who went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king: 2Of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom. Of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel. Of the sons of David, Hattush. 3Of the sons of Shecaniah, of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah; and with him were listed by genealogy of the males one hundred fifty. 4Of the sons of Pahathmoab, Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah; and with him two hundred males. 5Of the sons of Shecaniah, the son of Jahaziel; and with him three hundred males.

This passage lists the heads of families who went up with Ezra from Babylon to Jerusalem, family by family, with the numbers of those who came. They are names and numbers, easy to skim. But behind them is a choice worth noticing: these were people who left the settled life they had built in Babylon, where their families had lived for generations, to go up and take part in rebuilding God's work in a distant, ruined city. They answered a call that cost them comfort and security.

Notice what these named families represent: a willing remnant. Not everyone went; many stayed in Babylon, where life was established and comfortable. These were the ones who responded to the call, who were willing to leave what was familiar and secure to be part of what God was doing in Jerusalem. Their names are recorded because they answered, because they were willing to go up and give themselves to God's work at real cost.

There is a challenge and an honor here. The challenge: God's work often calls for people willing to leave comfort and security to take part in it, and not everyone answers; many stay where it is settled and easy. And the honor: those who do respond, who are willing to go up and give themselves to what God is doing, are named and remembered. When God calls you to give yourself to his work, even at the cost of comfort, be among the willing. Do not only stay where it is settled and safe. Answer the call, go up, and let yourself be counted among those willing to build what God is building.

Lord, these named families left the comfort and security of Babylon to go up and rebuild your work in a ruined city, a willing remnant who answered the call. When you call me to give myself to your work, even at the cost of comfort and security, help me be among the willing, not only staying where it is settled and safe. Give me a heart to answer, to go up, to be counted among those willing to build what you are building. Make me willing to give myself to your purposes.