I just started reading the book of Ezra and the rebuilding
of the temple. As I read each persons name and their family, and the importance
that each person counted who came on board to support the work God had called
Ezra to, I couldn’t help but stop and start counting each person God has called
to support the work God has called me to do in South Sudan.
The whole assembly together was 42,360 people! And that’s
just the first wave!
Within my “first wave” are 85 distinct individuals (adults
& children!) who believed God has called them to participate financially in
the ministry in South Sudan. 200+ others have committed to praying for the
ministry.
As important as it was for the writer of Ezra to list each
individual family, I think the idea of the “children of Israel…gathered
together as one man to Jerusalem” a much more astounding number. They didn’t
gather to one man (Ezra) nor as an assembly (many people) but AS one man.
We go out as a team as “one man”. Ezra wasn’t the man to be
celebrated for what he did, nor the people celebrated for being willing to
support Ezra and travel back to give of their finances and time, it was God who
was celebrated, “[they] arose and built the altar of the God of Israel, to
offer burnt offerings on it…” in other words, they came together and they
worshipped God as one.
I find verse 6 the one that stuck out to me so boldly out of
all the rest, “From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, although the foundation of the temple of
the Lord had not been laid.
For those 85 people, they have started to offer their
worship to the Lord before I’ve even left! Whether that means beginning their
monthly commitments, sharing the amount they will begin when I leave, or giving
a one-time gift, these all come before the foundation has started to be laid!
And to those who will participate in the second wave, I look
forward to seeing whom God calls… to add to “the one” who goes out to serve the
women and children of South Sudan. My faith departure date is in 105 days! These last one hundred and
few days will include the second wave of people! Oh may He be worshipped as we
come together as one!
“And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to
the Lord: ‘For He is good. For His mercy endures forever toward Israel.’” –Ezra
3:11a
And in 105 days
may we see the foundation laid (me leaving for South Sudan 100% supported) and
respond alike, “Then all the people shouted with a great shout, when they
praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.” –Ezra
3:11b
