I am trying to come to terms with the arrival of my 70th birthday...it is hard to even fathom...where has the time gone? I only have to look around at my children, experiences, relatives, friends to realize that it is truly true...
While traveling on a bus this last week to visit the sites of Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer State Park, Cody, etc...a friend and I felt like we were the younger of the set of people...we were the only ones to use the pools, the fitness rooms available...felt so good after riding on and off all day...they were past the 70 year mark..
Starting the book of Ezra...the seventy years of exile for the Jewish people has ended and God is moving in the hearts of kings to bless them, allowing them to return to their land...even handing over confiscated temple treasures to take with them...70 years of settling in the land of Babylon comes to an end for those who chose to return...a generation...there are old ones, younger ones starting a new life...
The first thing they do is build build the Altar, sacrificing, establishing that connection of thanksgiving for what God has done...then they start to rebuild the the Temple...
They are rebuilding their relationship from the inside out...the heart ...to outside manifestations...
When I think of this, I want to make sure my heart is right as well...that the outward results are showing off the blessings of the God who restores...who carries out his promises like he did for His People's return...
My seventy years have not been in exile like this nation, God has blessed...unless we count living here as exile from the promise of a heavenly home...But, He gifted this time here with settling and family like He did the exiles in Babylon ...
There are things I would have done differently, places I would have visited, things I would have learned, more time spent on other occupations...I think...
Our treasures are supposed to be already stored in heaven, I won't be carrying anything with me( unlike the man who wanted to take his gold with him in a suitcase, only to find that heaven's streets used gold for pavement) I just want to increase those treasures as I can, not for myself or for exalting my position, but because it is a blessing to do so...
70 years...fulfilled promises...thank YOU...
The Book of Ezra...
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