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).

Godfrey Miranda – Littleton, Colorado … With Mission Summit 2026 about two months away, it’s time to move into a mode of more intentional preparation. Many of us have already cleared our calendars and figured out transportation to make sure we’re logistically prepared, but is there more we can do to ensure we’re spiritually prepared for Mission Summit? 

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 we can definitely resonate with his hope of returning to the Promised Land and his commitment to rebuilding God’s people to fulfill their divinely appointed purpose. Our contexts may be different, but our mission hopes are similar. 

So what cues can we take from Ezra’s experience 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, 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 (Romans 12:1).

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 churches. We can spend time each day right now seeking God’s will for our churches, ministries, and communities.  

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 between now and October 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 whatever divine instruction he received into daily practice. And on top of all that, Ezra was committed to teaching to 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 local congregations who aren’t able to attend Mission Summit, but we can pray that God would empower us to be influencers in our community 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 and our churches will be assured that God’s good hand is upon us all as we come together at this year’s Mission Summit. So until then, let’s search our hearts and surrender all to Jesus, 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.

—Godfrey Miranda is lead pastor at Littleton Seventh-day Adventist Church.