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Daily Devotion: Ezra 3:12-13

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Ezra 3:12-13   "But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy: (13) So that 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 noise was heard afar off."

Recently, we saw the priests dressed in their very best - in the garments that had been designed and ordained by God for them to wear. They were rejoicing in the goodness of God. "God is good", they said. "His mercy endures forever," they said. They worshipped. They praised. They were filled with joy.

The entire temple had not been rebuilt. Only the foundation had been laid. But they were glad in the Lord. They had been in captivity for 70 years. They were home! If the song had been written at that time, we could have heard them singing:
God is so good.
God is so good
God is so good.
He's so good to me.

I love Him so.
I love Him so.
I love Him so.
He's so good to me.

As they were singing, there were men of age who had seen the original temple. They had seen the glory of Solomon's temple. They began to weep even as the others were rejoicing. They were weeping because this foundation did not match the foundation of the original.

I could go in two different directions with this, and maybe someday I might go in the other direction than that which I am led to go today.

Satan's greatest and most used tool is discouragement and disappointment. Those who were rebuilding the temple could have become discouraged and quit the work because it did not meet the beauty of the original. But they kept praising and working. It's important to keep praising, praying, and working.

Maybe their work was not as glorious as the original, but they were in the will of God. Maybe it was not as bright and wonderful as the original, but they were in the will of God and praising Him for the opportunity to serve Him..

My point today: I may not be able to sing like the best, but I have a song in my heart to share.
I may not be able to pray eloquent prayers like others, but I have a need inside me to communicate with God.
I may not be able to preach like the best preachers, but God has given me a message to share.

Let us not get caught up trying to compare ourselves with others. Rather, let us seek to be in the will of God and remain faithful to Him.  
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