He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him. For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel. Ezra 7:9-10
“Reading the holy Scriptures confers two benefits. It trains the mind to understand them; it turns man’s attention from the follies of the world and leads him to the love of God. Two kinds of study are called for here. We must first learn how the Scriptures are to be understood, and then see how to expound them with profit and in a manner worthy of them… No one can understand the holy Scripture without constant reading… The more you devote yourself to study of the sacred utterances, the richer will be your understanding of them, just as the more the soil is tilled, the richer the harvest.”
Isidore of Seville (c. 560-636) in Maxims as recounted by Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 201.
This week Jenni had a speaking engagement on Wednesday night. I had the night to myself.
I could have done anything. I could have worked or played. I pondered what would bring the most profit. I determined to study the books of Ezra and Nehemiah with a commentator.
We did not speak to each other. I read his thoughts, the fruit of his study and reflected on them with the Holy Spirit. It was rich. It provided keen insights for reading, interpretation, and for teaching.
The older I get the more I find that time is my greatest asset. I can squander it or use it for good. Sometimes I do not have much say about how to use my time. But when I can choose, I love to study the holy Scriptures.
On the journey of life, like Ezra, I think when we devote ourselves to such study, God’s gracious hand us on us. He will use it for His glory and for the profit of many. With Nehemiah, Ezra helped rebuild the people of God.
And as Isidore says, such study will help us avoid folly and train our minds. What about you? Is it time to do some study so that you can generously bless others and expound the Word with profit?