Ezra Part 11: Legacy And Longing (Ezra 8:1-20)

It's been said, "We have no control over our ancestors, but we do have influence for our descendants." With that in mind, what kind of legacy would you like to leave for those who follow in your footsteps? In Ezra 8:1-20 we find Ezra recruiting Levites to return to Jerusalem, Levites whose ancestors had served the house of God, and now it's their turn. Ezra's own heart had been stirred by God, and now he is stirring up the hearts of others. What longings and stirrings is God stirring in our hearts today? The longing to know God as Father? The longing to be known by our Father God, and to know His delight over us? The longing for significance? Just as God knew the names of each and every returning exile, God knows us too, inside and out, and as we follow His ways, He's the one who is helping to shape the legacy we will leave.