May the mumbling commence!
Sometimes our past comes back to haunt us. Such is the case with the returned
exiles. Their past of disobedience causes
them trouble when King Artaxerxes looks into the historical records of the
rebellion of Jerusalem. Yes the
rebellion of the Jews goes deep and starts with their rebellions against the
Lord God. Read Artaxerxes letter to the
leaders of the surrounding peoples from Ezra chapter four:
"Greetings. The letter you sent has been translated
and read to me. I have ordered a search to be made of the
records and have indeed found that Jerusalem has in times past been a hotbed of insurrection against many kings. In
fact, rebellion and sedition are normal there! Powerful kings have ruled over Jerusalem and
the entire province west of the Euphrates River and have received vast tribute,
customs, and tolls. Therefore, issue orders to have these people
stop their work. That city must not be rebuilt except at my express
command. Do not delay, for we must not
permit the situation to get out of control." (Verses 18-22)
Rebellion and sedition are the norms! Ouch!
At times, God convicts us through unbelievers. This is one of those times for the people of
Judah. And our progress toward
faithfulness to the Lord is stunted… it at times comes to a stand-still.
So let’s examine ourselves carefully before we come to
worship… as we come to be a part of the body of Christ. Read the words of Paul to the Corinthians
from First Corinthians chapter eleven:
But if we examine ourselves, we will not be examined by God and judged in
this way. But when we are
judged and disciplined by the Lord, we
will not be condemned with the world. So, dear
brothers and sisters, when you gather for the Lord's Supper, wait for each
other. If you are really hungry, eat at
home so you won't bring judgment upon yourselves when you meet together. (Verses 31-34a)
Examine yourselves.
Learn to wait for one another. We
are all at different points in our spiritual maturity. So wait.
It’s hard, but waiting is necessary.
So, to the best of our abilities, let’s take care of our
needs before worship so that we can be prepared to wait not only on the Lord
but on each other.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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