Day 122, or May 2nd. If at first you don't succeed, try harder. Our thoughts today are
rooted in Ezra chapter 4 verse 4. Then the peoples around them set out to discourage
the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.
Now the big picture surrounding this verse. Under their leaders Zerubbabel, the returnees
from exile started the process of rebuilding the temple, which was originally built by
Solomon, but was then destroyed by the invading Babylonian army under King Nebuchadnezzar.
The temple had to be built in the same God-appointed place, so in a way the project was to rebuild
the temple rather than build a completely new one. The grandeur of Solomon's temple
was never replicated, and some of the older folk, who remembered the original, cried openly.
The temple of Zerubbabel is not usually included when the temples of Jerusalem are counted.
Solomon's is always the first, but usually the second one is the one that Jesus would
have known, which was built by Herod the Great. Zerubbabel's efforts are sadly airbrushed
away.
And now today's action step. We are told that the people were of one mind as the temple
rebuilding project got under way. That was a great foundation upon which to build. Too
many times we sense that all we need is a majority to confirm that our actions are in
God's will. Too often we fall into being Democrats rather than theocrats. I knew a
church minister who would delay anything from proceeding if he sensed there was not unanimity
in the congregation. You may think that most churches would never get anything done. Well,
would that be a bad thing if God was not in the projects?
Despite problems, the Israelites moved on making progress slowly. Remember, progress
is not an event, it's a process. Steady as she goes. When problems arise, overcome
them with God's help. Remember, God is bigger than all our problems put together. Don't
let difficulties overcome you.