Ezra 6:16-22
Psalms 81&134
The (Long) Road Back
What Now?
In our reading today we find the Temple has finally been completed. At the dedication of the Temple the people all came together to celebrate the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It was a time of great thanksgiving and rejoicing because the people realized that God had made a way when there seemed to be no way. Isaiah 43:19
I’m a goal oriented person. I love to take on a project and work hard to complete it but not all of the projects I start get completed. Somewhere along the line I find I lose interest and will set a project aside because I want to start another project. I also find that when it comes to maintaining a project I just finished that I don’t seem to have the same zeal I had when I was building it. I don’t think I am alone in this.
Psalm 81 reminds us to worship the Lord for what he has done for us. I think this is important. When I rejoice in what I have done for myself I find that joy is short lived. Soon I forget the challenges I faced and excitement of the accomplishment and start to look for another “ego fix.”
Wow, did I really say ego fix? Yup! Accomplishing a project can inflate an ego especially when I start to think that I did all these accomplishments with my talent and ability. When I think that way I find that I am looking for something else to make me feel good about myself and this can become overwhelming. What Psalm 81 tells me is that no matter what I may have accomplished it is because of the talents and abilities that God has given me. God has also put me in a place at this particular time which makes it possible to do the projects I enjoy. I need to remember that the gifts God has blessed me with are meant for His glory.
The point of all this is that I need to recognize, and to be grateful to God for all that He has done and given me. Ultimately everything He has blessed me with is for His glory, honor, and praise. Salvation should be first on that list. The Passover represents salvation, but God didn’t stop there. He wants to give us freedom from sin which is represented by the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Leaven is a symbol of sin. Bread represents the Word of God. God wants us to feed on His Word so that we can be in the place where He can bless us. When we do these things we will find that our life tends to be in order. We need to be careful we don’t let life get out of order by doing the things in Psalm 81:11-15 if we want the blessing in verse 16.
This is where Psalm 134 comes in. In order to be blessed I need to remember who God is in my life and what He has done for me, and give Him the praise due Him by using the talents, gifts, and abilities, He has given me for His glory.
Be a blessing and be blessed. Jude 21
Pastor Dave