THE LORD SPOKE (July 9)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Ezra 3-4

This was a great day for the returned exiles. The many months of preparation and hardship had finally brought them to the long-awaited moment. As they began what they'd come to do, they were...

UNITED IN PURPOSE - "the people assembled as one man" (Ezra 3:1)
These were strong individuals. Only about 10% of those who were in the Babylonian captivity actually returned to Jerusalem. These were the ones who had made the tough decision to leave home for a not-very-promising land, had endured the difficult journey across the Fertile Crescent, had paid the price and were still paying dearly for their choices, and who had their own dreams and ideas of how things should be done. But, it was they who were united on this occasion and ready to pull together.

COURAGEOUS IN SPITE OF LEGITIMATE FEARS - "despite their fear...they built" (Ezra 3:3)
There was plenty to fear. Just look at the rest of this book and the one that follows. The opposition began immediately (chapter 4) and never let up. Besides the external threats and attacks, they had to deal with a fifth column and other internal problems. But they didn't let it stop them in their determination - to rebuild the Temple and Jerusalem.

FAITHFUL IN RELIGIOUS ATTENDANCE - "they celebrated" (Ezra 3:4)
Webster defines "attend" as "to pay attention to, to apply the mind, to be ready for service, to be present". Doesn't that say it all? You can't very well serve the Lord or affect change if you're absent. Did you notice? They had daily activities ("morning and evening sacrifices"), monthly expectations ("New Moon sacrifices"), and yearly calendar events (feasts and festivals). That adds up to a lot of activity - but good activity with a purpose.

GENEROUS IN SUPPORT - "they presented...offerings" (Ezra 3:5-7)
Again, there were daily sacrifices (these cost money!), prescribed burnt offerings, freewill offerings, money gifts, and food and drink to be provided. That all adds up to a stiff bottom line but there's no evidence that they slacked off. The freewill offerings are still on the list.

COGNIZANT OF GOD'S HAND - "they took their places to praise the Lord" (Ezra 3:10)
They didn't fail to recognize the Source of blessing and strength. They took time out to thank the Lord and to direct their praise heavenward.

WELL-TEMPERED IN THEIR JOY - "[some] wept aloud...while many others shouted for joy" (Ezra 3:12)
The balance is important. Each side needs to hear the other. Tempered steel is strong.

And "the sound was heard far away" (Ezra 3:13). In fact, we're still reading about this story nearly two and a half millennia later. The local inhabitants, mostly enemies who did not rejoice at the sound, couldn't ignore what was happening. Nor should we. These returnees from exile are an example and encouragement to us to press on.


New Testament: II Thessalonians 3

“Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” We’ve all heard that before. Maybe we’ve experienced it. It apparently was a problem for some of the Thessalonians. Back in the first epistle, Paul had already cautioned them to “warn those who are idle” (I Thess. 5:14) and “to work with your hands...so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody” (I Thess. 4:11-12). Now in this second letter he says it three more times:

• “keep away from every brother who is idle” (II Thess. 3:6)
• “we were not idle when we were with you” (II Thess. 3:7)
• “we hear that some among you are idle” (II Thess. 3:11)

Webster’s Dictionary has three different applications of this word “idle” and each one may sound a good wake-up call for someone today:

1. “not occupied or employed” - There is so much to do for the Lord. No believer should ever find himself wondering what on earth to do. It’s sin to twiddle your thumbs spiritually. When we’re idle we’re not just in the devil’s workshop, we’re doing his work for him.
2. “to run at low power and often disconnected” - This isn’t just sin, it’s stupid. With the very power of God at work in us, how could we be satisfied with a “low power” reading on our dial? And why would we ever wander about disconnected to our Source?
3. “lacking worth or basis” - This should never be true of any believer but we must admit that sometimes it is. What grief that must bring to the Father. What grief it must cause the Son who gave His very life to purchase us. Is the Holy Spirit grieved? Quenched?

So, where are you today? Do any of these shoes fit? Get up and get moving! Find yourself a project. Teach a Sunday School class, help in the nursery, call on someone who is sick, run some errands for a shut-in, organize a Bible study in your home, join a missions trip to some needy part of the world where you can make a significant contribution, talk to that neighbor or that person at work. There’s so much to do - do it!

In the case of the Thessalonians, it wasn’t a problem of not doing anything. They were “busybodies” (II Thess. 3:11b), meddlers, interfering in other people’s affairs. Their idleness had led them to be doing all the wrong things. Make sure that what you’re doing is worth doing and that it’s worthy of doing for the Lord.