Ezra 8:21And there by the Ahava Canal, I gave orders for all of us to fast and humble ourselves before our God. We prayed that he would give us a safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we traveled. 22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to accompany us and protect us from enemies along the way. After all, we had told the king, “Our God’s hand of protection is on all who worship him, but his fierce anger rages against those who abandon him.”

It is easy to talk about the power of God and the provision He can supply in the ease of your comfort zone. It is a totally different thing altogether to step out in faith to obey His word in such a way that requires you to depend on Him alone. That is the place where the rubber meets to road. The journey of faith always starts with you stepping out into a place where all you have to depend on is God Himself. That is a scary place, but it is also the safest place on earth. When the rubber meets the road in your life, put these three practices into play.

• Pray your way through hard places. Prayer can pave the way through the roughest places on earth.

• Be aware of your enemies. They did not pretend they were not there; they chose to believe God was greater than their adversaries.

• Remember that God’s reputation is on the line. The people of God could have asked for help but they knew this journey was about more than their safety. This journey was an opportunity for God to display His power through them.

Ezra 8:31 tells us how the story ends. It says “We broke camp at the Ahava Canal on April 19 and started off to Jerusalem. And the gracious hand of our God protected us and saved us from enemies and bandits along the way.” God safely delivered the people. God still keeps His Word and provides for people today. Remember when the rubber meets to road not to allow the intimidations of the journey keep you from stepping out.

Today’s Challenge: Remember that when the rubber meets the road, you serve the God who can be trusted. Step out in faith following the direction of the Lord and you will be amazed at the lengths He will go to keep His word.