09Aug16

Ezra 3:11 (ESV)
And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord,
"For he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel."
And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.

Israel had been exiled. They had been kept from their home land and away from the temple of the LORD. They had spent generations in debauchery and disobedience which caused them to have to be separated from the physical representation of their God, the temple. When they were allowed to return they laid the foundation of the new temple. It was the start of something new and the restoration of the old. It represented hope to so many of them and reminded them that God had not forgotten them. There was a lot of emotion wrapped up in that moment. With it... they gave a great shout! They didn't hold back. They wanted the world to hear them.

There are times when we feel like we have been abandoned and lost. Possibly exiled even. But, when the foundation is laid for the future, when your dreams are coming close to realization, when you start down the path to restoration... don't whimper... shout! As we look toward home and the reestablishment of so many things we have an opportunity to lay a foundation that is worth being proud of and happy about. What will your foundation be?