We made it through Chronicles and today we start Ezra. And before anybody picks up a tool or lays a single stone, God starts stirring the hearts of people.
Rebuilding doesn't start with our plans, our ideas, or us running around trying to figure out how to fix everything. It starts with God stirring hearts.
He stirred the heart of Cyrus. Then He stirred the hearts of His people. He opened the door and said it was time to go home. But home wasn't exactly waiting for them all pretty and put back together. They were going back to rubble. Walking into a mess.
Some of these people had probably gotten pretty comfortable in Babylon. Some of them had never even lived in Jerusalem. They were leaving all they had ever known to go rebuild something they had only heard about.
And then comes Ezra 2 with ALL. THE. NAMES. 😂 But we've learned not to roll our eyes quite so quickly at the lists anymore right.
Those names are important, they were people who went back. The People who said yes. Different families. Different jobs. Different roles. They weren't all called to do the same thing, but they were all part of what God was building.
And this morning as I read one thing kept sticking with me, They had to return before they could rebuild. That speaks right to me because my word this year is Build, and I am really good at grabbing the hammer. Give me something to build, fix, create, organize or dream about and I'm ready.
But God keeps reminding me that building with Him starts by being with Him first. Before the Temple. Before the walls. Before the work.
We have to Come home to him.
Are there places where you’ve gotten comfortable that God is stirring you to leave. Maybe there are piles of rubble you'd rather not look at. Maybe there are things you want Him to hurry up and rebuild.
You don't have to wait for the ruins to be cleaned up before you come back. You just have to answer when He stirs your heart.
Rebuilding starts with returning.
And the rubble isn't proof that God is finished.
It might be the exact place He's saying to you, Alright. Let's build again.
Return. Rebuild. Restore.
Love Pastor Mandy
Daily reading Ezra 1-2
MandiesDandies / Ark of Hope
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