“In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king issued a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be rebuilt, the place where sacrifices were offered, and let its foundations be retained…” (Ezra 6:3 ESV).
As I read Ezra chapter 6, I find King Darius making, more accurately reinstating, a law in regards to the rebuilding of the Temple —no one was exempt. Every Jew was ordered to be a part of the renovations, whether by donating funds, providing meals, supplying animals for sacrifice or whatever else was needed.
As Christians, the same decree is issued to us.
We gripe about the fall of our country. We complain there’s nothing fit to watch on television. We murmur about the way God has been taken out of the schools, the government and in some cases, the home.
So, what are you doing about it?
In Ezra’s day if it was found out that you were not giving ALL you could, in time or expendables, a price was to be paid: a beam out of your own home would be pulled out, thus allowing you to live in rubble like the Lord was having to do. Go ahead, look it up in Ezra 6:11 NLT.
What would it mean in today’s time? I’ve got an idea of what it would look like…
—The plug would be pulled on our cable if our tithes weren’t joyfully given.
—The season tickets would be revoked if our pews were habitually left empty on Sunday.
—Inadequate service would be our lot at our favorite restaurants if we failed to serve in our church.
We have a very important role to play in the rebuilding of godly values in our country, state, town, neighborhood and home. We do. No, not the government. Not the church itself. We have responsibilities that we have left undone…and there’s going to be a price to pay.
Are you willing to pay it?
Malinda Edgell
Illinois
PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for your pastor today. If you haven’t yet observed Pastor Appreciation, offer him thanks and gratitude for his service to God and your congregation. A thank you note and gift card wouldn’t hurt, either.
