Ezra 8:24-30 - Being God's faithful stewards

Faithful people are needed for the ministry, especially when finance is involved. And it is needful for leaders to be able to identify them. This was precisely what Ezra did. He had to ferry silver and gold utensils, and the offering which the king, his counselors, and the people had offered for the house of God to Jerusalem. So Ezra Ezra 8:24 said that he picked 12 priests and sent them on this  mission. Interestingly, the two words used here were “set apart.” This is significant. For this was a consecrated task and the people he sent to do it must also be consecrated people. 

Having carefully selected the 12 people led by Sherebiah and Hashabiah, Ezra sent them on this important mission with all funds for the temple. This was a consecrated service to the Lord, thus faithfulness and responsibility must be needed. They had to be accountable for what was entrusted to them. So in verses 28-29, Ezra commanded them saying, “You are holy to the Lord, and the utensils are holy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the Lord God of your fathers. Watch and keep them until you weigh them before the leading priests, the Levites, and the heads of the fathers’ households of Israel at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the Lord.” Entrusted with the responsible task, the twelve priests received what was delivered to them to bring to Jerusalem.

Integrity is a prized commodity in life especially when we have to do with finance. Temptation abounds when dealing with finance. We have all heard of how people had fallen prey to temptation because they had to handle finance. It is therefore needful that faithful men be used for such an important task. If we are to be trusted with it, let us be found faithful. Two things can help us to ensure integrity. Know that we are doing it for God and that we will finally have to give an account to Him for all that had been entrusted to us. It is required that all stewards be found faithful. Hence let us be found faithful, not just in dealing with finance but also in everything that we are assigned to do for the Lord!