Read: Ezra 3:10-11 NRSV
When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments were stationed to praise the Lord with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, according to the directions of King David of Israel; and they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord,
‘For he is good,
for his steadfast love endures for ever towards Israel.’
And all the people responded with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid
When the exiles finally returned from Babylon in the book of Ezra, they didn’t come back to a paradise; they returned to a city of rubble. Their mission was to clear the debris and rebuild the Temple. This is a precise picture of the Church’s mission today. Jesus has redeemed us, but He has left us in a broken world with a trowel in our hand.
We are called to step into the “ruins” of our culture—the broken families, the systems of injustice, the loneliness of our neighbors—and lay a foundation of praise and truth. We are the “repairers of broken walls,” turning the ruins of this world into a dwelling place for God.
Pray: Lord, show me the “ruins” in my life or community where You want me to work. Give me the courage to start rebuilding, trusting that You are restoring all things.
