10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord, according to the ordinance of David king of Israel. 11 And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord: "For He is good, For His mercy endures forever toward Israel." Then all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. 12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers' houses, old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple was laid before their eyes. Yet many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard afar off. Ezra 3:10-13 (NKJV)
The Book of Ezra is all about new beginnings. The children of Israel were coming back to their homeland after their long exile in Babylon. It was a new beginning to establish their nation and a new opportunity to serve God. For every Hebrew that it made it back home, there were hundreds, if not thousands that never made it back to the Promised Land. But, for those that made it, they recognized that God made their return possible.
They declared, "For He is good, for His mercy endures forever!" One of the first reconstruction projects in Jerusalem was to rebuild the temple of the Lord, which had been destroyed by the Babylonians. The builders, with the whole nation assembled and accompanied by the fanfare of trumpets, cymbals, shouts of praise and singing, laid the foundation for the new temple. There was a strange mix of bitter-sweet sounds that burst forth from the vast crowd. There was both weeping and shouts of joy.
When a life is turned around and given a new opportunity to begin with a clean slate, it stirs the emotions of our heart. Like a family greeting a prodigal son, we find ourselves running alongside the Father, bursting with hope as we spot the lost sheep returning home. As the prodigal returns--the angels of heaven rejoice--the Father wraps His arms of mercy around them--and we stand in awe with weeping and joy as we witness the grace of God in action. No wonder we call God's grace "amazing!"
Prayer: "Dear heavenly Father, You are good and Your mercy indeed endures forever. Your patience is beyond human understanding, because You continually give to us--sinner all--prodigals all--the opportunity to start again. Thank you for Your love and for looking beyond all that is wrong with me and seeing the possibilities that You bring about through Your transforming work in my life. I will forever be grateful! Amen"
The Book of Ezra is all about new beginnings. The children of Israel were coming back to their homeland after their long exile in Babylon. It was a new beginning to establish their nation and a new opportunity to serve God. For every Hebrew that it made it back home, there were hundreds, if not thousands that never made it back to the Promised Land. But, for those that made it, they recognized that God made their return possible.
When a life is turned around and given a new opportunity to begin with a clean slate, it stirs the emotions of our heart. Like a family greeting a prodigal son, we find ourselves running alongside the Father, bursting with hope as we spot the lost sheep returning home. As the prodigal returns--the angels of heaven rejoice--the Father wraps His arms of mercy around them--and we stand in awe with weeping and joy as we witness the grace of God in action. No wonder we call God's grace "amazing!"
Prayer: "Dear heavenly Father, You are good and Your mercy indeed endures forever. Your patience is beyond human understanding, because You continually give to us--sinner all--prodigals all--the opportunity to start again. Thank you for Your love and for looking beyond all that is wrong with me and seeing the possibilities that You bring about through Your transforming work in my life. I will forever be grateful! Amen"
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