Ezra 2-9 Praise Is Comely For The Upright

 Ezra 3:10-13   And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.  11 And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever 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.  12 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.

     We know that Ezra was tasked with leading the people in the momentous task of rebuilding the temple that was destroyed when the Chaldees broke down the building and burned it during the sacking of Jerusalem. The people of Judah have been carried away captive with only the sick, elderly, and poor inhabiting the city for the ensuing decades.

     Progress has been difficult and halting, but now the foundation of the house of God has been laid. What is the reaction of God's people to this seemingly insignificant accomplishment? We find the people of God praising God in song, with music, and with a loud voice. We find these people in less than ideal conditions with a great deal of work still before them rejoicing loudly in what God has already done through them.

     There is a huge lesson for our lives in their actions. First of all we need to stop acting as if we are ashamed of Christ, and praise Him loudly in song and testimony. Secondly, understanding there is much work ahead in our lives as we seek to be conformed to the image of Christ in our thinking and lives, we must rejoice in what God has already accomplished in our lives. Our hearts should overflow with thanksgiving that God has saved us and brought us to this point in our conformity to the Lord Jesus Christ. Praising God is not Charismatic. It is Christian!

Philippians 4:4   Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

Daily Devotional- Luke 11:1-13  Jesus Teaches How To Pray