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August 22, 2018

Ezra 1:1-3

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing: “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: “‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them.

New International Version (NIV)

                There really is no place like home. When I was in second grade the Air Force took our family across the Atlantic Ocean to Germany. Our little village, Schrollbach was a beautiful little village with a huge hill and a beautiful brook. The people were very kind to us. But we always knew that someday we would come home to Texas. We literally counted the days in the last months we were there. I had been born in Texas and I never thought any other place was home. At the age of eighteen I moved back.

                In three deportations, Babylon took the politically dangerous, the wealthy, and the skilled artisans into exile in Babylon. Jeremiah told the people they would be in captivity for seventy years. God knew the plans he had for them in that time. But every day they lifted their eyes and dreamed of returning to Jerusalem. They were kept in a kind of house arrest until the Persians conquered Babylon in 539 BC and allowed all subject persons to return to their homelands. Cyrus, the emperor of Persia said God had told him to tell the people to go home and rebuild the temple of the Lord.

                Often in our lives we find ourselves in a kind of Babylonian captivity of our souls. We are not where we want to be and we don't have the power to change our situation. It could be a medical diagnosis or the loss of a job or relationship. Perhaps we are displaced from the part of the world that we think of as home. Jeremiah's advice was good: where you are, there you are. Make yourself at home. In God's time, he will bring you back to the place you want to be. All Christians await a different home. Like G. K. Chesterton we can feel homesick even when we are in our houses. One day we will wake up and find ourselves finally home. Won't that be a great day?

Pray with me:

Father, you have always been our dwelling place. Help us to make ourselves at home in you wherever you are. Like your people of old we long for the day when they say, "You are going home." Make our hearts ready for that day. In Jesus' name. Amen.

This year we focus our Every Day with Jesus readings on Jesus’ story. With references to Tallowood's Read Through the Bible in 2018 daily reading plan, let's focus our undivided attention on Jesus and follow where he lead. He will not fail. Neither will we!
Joyfully,
Duane

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