Pondering God's Word • Handmade by God

A Holy Shout

“…the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard afar off.” Ezra 3:13

Fifty years after King Solomon’s Temple had been destroyed by the Babylonians, the Israelites who had returned from the Babylonian captivity to their promised land are described in chapter 3 of the Old Testament book of Ezra as having united together “as one man” or “with a unified purpose” to worship God together. Lesson learned. It was time to not only restore their place of worship but also to restore their hearts for worship.

First, they rebuilt the altar right where it originally stood. And then they began offering sacrifices night and day, according to what was written in the Book of Moses. The altar was their place for repentance and renewal.

A month after rebuilding the altar, they began the back-breaking work of rebuilding the temple. This was a massive and holy building project. Overseers and workers were appointed. Masons and carpenters were paid. And just as King Solomon had done for the building of the original temple, trade was conducted with the people of Sidon and Tyre in order to have cedar logs from Lebanon delivered.

Once the foundation was finished, a celebration began. This was a really big deal, complete with a ceremony. Priests adorned in robes were blowing trumpets, and the Levites were crashing their cymbals. Voices were lifted in melodic praise with one group calling out and another group responding.

In addition, there were people happily shouting, while at the same time, others were weeping. The really old people were crying, because they had been around when the first temple still stood. They were remembering the majestic sacred space that no longer existed and, perhaps, the reason why it had been destroyed…God’s people turning their backs on Him. I can only imagine how overwhelming this was for them. Regret mingled with despair mingled with hope.

The shouts of joy were louder than the grief-filled sobbing, but both were definitely present. And somehow it all came together and ended up being such a perfect fusion of emotions that there was no distinguishing between the joy and the lament.

I was so inspired by this that I wrote a poem. And I’m not a poetry person. At all. What stirred me so greatly? Perhaps it’s that I’m someone who remembers many “how it used to be’s” with great fondness for what was, and a great longing for what isn’t anymore. Perhaps it’s that I find great definition, whether positive or negative, in looking back on the decisions and circumstances that have shaped me into who I am and where I’m headed. Or maybe it’s that, to me, what has happened in the past is like a how-to book on what works and what doesn’t work.

But I think the biggest reason my heart was so moved at the end of this chapter of Ezra is that there were more people crying their eyes out than there were people who were caught up in boisterous jubilation. And nobody told the people who were in tears to get a hold of themselves. Nobody shamed them or tried to make them stop. The grief and the glee mixed together into a cacophony that could be heard “afar off”. (I just love the wording.)

This made me feel differently about remembering my past and having it bring tears. Somewhere along the line, I had developed the idea that being touched in sadness by something from my yesterdays was not good for me, and it didn’t honor God. But in this celebration every feeling was included and was fully appropriate. All of their emotions were authentic and acceptable outpourings of worship, just as mine are when I am honest with my feelings before the Lord. It’s when I come to Him just as I am that His lavish love washes over me and makes me feel seen and accepted so powerfully.

A HOLY SHOUT

Shouts of joy
Cries of pain
Seeing the past
Be built again

Wonder, awe
And triggered grief
Strengthening resolve
And belief

Wafting through
Each person’s call
Was a song that said
God heard them all

For He is good
One choir sang
And in response
Another proclaimed

His mercy toward us
will never end
He sees us now
Beginning again

Each one’s heart
Became a song
Carved out a part
Within the throng

Their sound took flight
And traveled out
Sorrow, delight
A holy shout

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What to Do?

Yesterday my head was full of what should I do thoughts regarding a couple of situations. Feeling confused and knowing I couldn’t see into the future, I did the only thing that made sense to me. I put my Bible in my hands and reached out to the Lord. Now, this is not something I do on a regular basis, but I asked Him to show me the answer and then I just let my Bible fall open.

My attention was immediately piqued. I had opened to Proverbs 22. Sometimes when I don’t have a specific book or chapter that I’m in the middle of, I will read the chapter of Proverbs that matches the day of the month. And there I was on the 22nd of the month looking at the 22nd chapter of Proverbs.

Did I get a specific answer to my what should I do thoughts? No. It was better than that. I received an answer to ALL the what should I do thoughts I’ll ever have.

“A sensible person sees danger and takes cover, but the inexperienced keep going and are punished.” Proverbs 22:3

In other words, the one who has good sense and sound judgment is able to view her life as a spectator rather than just as a participant. She pays attention to all of her experiences and doesn’t fall into destructive cycles!

She has sharp judgment in practical matters and realizes that she is more than simply an unwitting person living her life. She is aware and conscious rather than ignorant and oblivious. She has her eyes wide open and is not blindly making her way through her days and weeks and years.

She is partaking in her life, looking where she is going, and is aware of what is around her. All of this gives her the necessary information to help her make sound decisions about where she is headed. She is attending her life and participating in her life all at the same time.

Because her eyes are open, she sees the evil, misery, and distress that approach her and she hides from it. She removes herself from anything that will bring destruction, corruption, grief, worry, heartache, shame, and anxiety. And instead, she is looking for what will add righteousness, goodness, hopefulness, calmness, blessing, joy, peace, and contentment to her life.

As I continued throughout the day mulling over my options regarding those situations I mentioned, I realized that my prior experiences in life had given me the wisdom needed to make the necessary decisions that would help me avoid having to take cover down the road.

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Paint By Numbers

We all have gifts. We don’t all have the same gifts. I can sew, knit, crochet, bake, and write. And I can use those gifts to serve others. Or I can use those gifts simply for my own enjoyment.

“Each one of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10

If we all are using our gifts to serve others, it is like a paint by numbers coming to completion. But if, say, #3, #8, #16 and #18 don’t get painted, there are empty places in the beautiful picture. The picture ends up being confusing. Undone. Lacking. Anyone looking at it would likely be more drawn to the flaws than to the gorgeous shades and hues.

I don’t want to be a dry paintbrush next to an unopened container of paint. I want to be part of the beautiful picture of God’s grace and love being poured out on others.

There is a big world out there filled with believers. What sort of picture are we painting of God’s love for the world? Is it full of empty spots that are causing those who look at us as the Body of Christ to be lacking in love and help for the hurting? Or is it a grand masterpiece allowing people to see and experience Jesus through our hands, feet, mouths, and thoughts….. the very things we do?

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Wings

Today I felt like I was completely at the bottom. From the moment I woke up, it had a grip on me. I couldn’t find any energy, and I couldn’t find a reason to even have energy. It actually felt as though forcing myself to take the next breath and each breath after that was the only thing keeping me on this side of sanity.

As I fought my way through the day, it occurred to me that feeling this way – like I was hitting the bottom – should feel like the ultimate comfort. For you are no longer hovering or floating and having to sustain your place in thin air. But it didn’t. It was dark and scary. Everything seemed futile. My bones practically ached from the heaviness of it. From the bottom looking up, it seemed as though getting out of the pit would take a herculean effort.

Then I remembered that the wings of God are mentioned in the Bible as a sheltering place. A place of comfort, strength, and safety.

“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in you, and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge until these calamities have passed by.” Psalm 57:1

“How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.” Psalm 36:7

Although I wish it wouldn’t have taken me half a day to reach for my Bible, I was flooded with peace as I read through both of these verses. I don’t have to do my life alone. I’m not meant to suffer through the blues alone. And, most importantly of all, I don’t need to have it all together before I reach out to God. He will lift me up and shelter me in His wings.

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Curative Capacity

Swords can cause physical bleeding, pain, scars, loss of limb, and death. They are sharp. Cutting. Extremely painful. They require training and practice to be used properly and effectively with precision, aim, and strength. They are used defensively and offensively. They save lives. They end lives.

Words also can cause emotional bleeding, pain, scars, loss of limb, and death. The bleeding of a heart that is breaking, the pain from a searing comment, the scars of verbal abuse, the loss of trust, and the end of a relationship are all the result of words. And words, just like swords, are used defensively and offensively saving lives and ending lives.

We use them every day. But are we thinking about what happens because of our precision and our aim? Anyone who has been stabbed by a sword requires medical attention. And anyone who has been wounded by words suffers from a loss of well-being, strength, and wholeness, and needs to be covered with a soothing balm.

There are lots and lots of walking wounded all around us. They have been the unfortunate recipient of some piercing words that have caused damage and pain. The wounds are not visible to the eye like a bleeding cut or a missing arm. But they are still there. They show up as depression, anger, fear, unreasonableness, rudeness, isolation, sullenness, addictions, hopelessness, etc. The list of symptoms is quite long and is often misinterpreted.

It’s time to become healers instead of word-wielding terrorists. Instead of using judgment as the aim, use compassion. Look around. Start identifying wounds and administering healing remedies with words of kindness, gentleness, and grace. And you can know that you have been a curative force in someone’s life.

“There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword,
But the tongue of the wise promotes health.”

Proverbs 12:18

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