Very often our thoughts and prayers on suffering and punishment are along this thread: “Why is there evil in the world?” “God, please take this suffering away.” “Why would a good person have to suffer so much?” But here is a challenging perspective from Ezra in chapter 9: “God, you have punished us less thank our sins have deserved.” Even in light of the exile, Israel losing their homes and country, being taken to a foreign land, their hugely important center for worship had been destroyed and pillaged, and Ezra says that God’s punishment has been less than they deserved.
Clearly his eye is not on his circumstances but on his God, and his own sinfulness before Him. God, help me to know you, help me to know myself and my depravity. And help me to ultimately look to Jesus’ work and life eternal being thankful that any suffering that I endure on earth is infinitely less than I deserve.
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