On the first day of the first month he began his journey from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel. Ezra 7:9-10, NKJV

With Mission Summit 2026 less than two weeks away, I thought it appropriate to interrupt our focus on 2 Peter with something that moves us into a mode of intentional preparation for this event.  Hopefully by now, we've already marked our calendars for October 2 and 3 at LifeSource Adventist Fellowship (NOT our Littleton Church) to make sure we’re logistically prepared, but I want to invite us all to consider what more we can do to ensure we’re spiritually prepared for Mission Summit.  It's one thing to show up at the right time and place, but it another thing to be fully present with a heart wide open to God's eternal purposes for that weekend. This may surprise you, but as I’ve been reviewing the story of Ezra in the Old Testament, I believe his experience has something to teach us about what we can do to spiritually prepare for the Mission Summit weekend we’ve been anticipating.  Granted, Ezra may not have been preparing for a church conference, but he was a man on a mission, laser focused on returning to the Promised Land and rebuilding God’s people to fulfill their divinely appointed purpose.  If those are the kinds of mission dreams you resonate with, then keep reading to discover practical steps we can follow after Ezra’s example to ensure that “the good hand of [our] God” (Ezra 7:9) is upon us too in preparation for Mission Summit.

START WITH HEART

For Ezra had prepared his heart…Ezra 7:10a, NKJV

Ezra’s journey of rebuilding God’s people to fulfill God’s purpose began at the heart level.  Sure there were requests granted by the king of Persia (Ezra 7:6), but in addition to the collection of external resources, Ezra focused on the internal inventory of his heart.  The term used here for “prepared” communicates the idea of fitting something for use.  In the context of the sanctuary services and priestly roles that Ezra’s ancestry was fully familiar with, it was often the sacrifices themselves that needed to be prepared through close examination for blemishes or anything that would disqualify them for use.  In this light, heart preparation has less to do with identifying what strengths we bring to the table and more to do with humbly discerning our own areas of weakness that we need to surrender to Jesus.  Before we begin to dream about the great things we can accomplish for God at Mission Summit or through our Fall evangelistic series, let’s take time confessing our need for the great things God has already accomplished for us at Calvary.  Before we attempt to dutifully fulfill the mission of God, let’s revive habits of daily receiving the mercies of God — searching our hearts for those attitudes, ambitions, and even addictions that keep us from being living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1).  

Yes, God wants to do great things through us, but first and foremost He wants to do great things in us.

SEEK GOD’S WORD

For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord…Ezra 7:10b, NKJV

Apparently, heart preparation isn’t just about removing what doesn’t belong but also intentionally focusing on that which is worth our greatest attention and energy:  God’s Word, the revelation of God’s will in His law.  As we follow Ezra’s example, then, part of our preparation for Mission Summit should be to tune our ears to hear God’s Word.  We don’t have to wait until we arrive that first weekend of October to hear what God wants to reveal to us about His will and directions for our church.  

We can spend time each day right now seeking God’s will for our church, our ministries, and the community right around us.  

Whether you already have a daily rhythm of being still with God’s Word or want to establish a new habit, pray that God would wake you up earlier than normal each day to have unhurried time seeking the voice of the living God in the Bible.  Maybe it’s slowly walking through one of the four Gospels or the stories of the early church in Acts.  Whatever portion of Scripture He leads you to, let each day begin with filling your mind with God’s Word, praising Him for the picture of who He is, and surrendering to the counsel and instruction He reveals to you personally.  As we seek His will in His Word individually, our hearts will be primed to discern God’s will about His mission collectively.

PRAY TO DO AND SHARE

For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel. Ezra 7:10c, NKJV

I love that Ezra sought God’s Word not just for good ideas but for a transformed life altogether.  He resolved to do himself what God revealed, to put into daily practice whatever divine instruction he received.  And on top of all that, Ezra was committed to teaching others what God had shown him and empowered him to practically apply.  The blessing Ezra sought was not only for himself but for others.  This is a powerful reminder that Mission Summit isn’t supposed to be a time when we’re just inspired with great ideas.  It’s a time to let God live out His Word in us AND share His call with others through us.  

With this in mind, we can pray this simple prayer:  “Lord, make me a doer of Your Word and a sharer of it too!”  

As we prepare for Mission Summit, let’s pray for a willingness to actively participate in moving the kingdom forward right where we are, AND pray for specific people with whom we can share our experience.  There may be key leaders or close friends in our church family who aren’t able to attend Mission Summit, but we can pray that God would empower us to be influencers in our congregation both by how we live and what we share.  

Friends, do you want the experience of Ezra to be your experience too?  It’s my prayer that each of us individually and our church collectively will be assured that His good hand is upon us all as we come together with churches from all over Rocky Mountain Conference at this year’s Mission Summit.  So until then, let’s search our hearts and surrender all to Him, let’s daily seek His Word, and let’s pray that His Word would do a good work in us and in others through us.

[CLICK HERE  for Mission Summit details and to register.]