It’s my choice… look back with sadness or look ahead with joy.

Sunday 9-25-16 (Patagonia, Argentina)

Scripture reading:   Ezra 2 - 3        Luke  8

S=Scripture O=Observation A=Application P=Prayer  SOAP for the soul.

S.   Ezra 3:12-13 Many of the older priests, Levites, and other leaders remembered the first Temple, and they wept aloud when they saw the new Temple's foundation. The others, however, were shouting for joy. The joyful shouting and weeping mingled together in a loud commotion that could be heard far in the distance. NLT

O.  Some of those present at the celebration of the laying of the temple foundation were old enough to remember the splendor of Solomon’s temple.  Now they looked at the foundations and felt that this new temple would never be equal in its beauty to the former one. So while others rejoiced, they looked on with negative thoughts and sadness.

A.  Foundations are not impressive, but they are necessary. I remember when we were children on vacation at the beach, we played “house”.  We would take a stick and draw full size house plans in the sand. We put the kitchen and dining area over there and the bedrooms over here and the living room near the front door. We could imagine the walls and windows. To an onlooker there was nothing impressive, but we could see the finished building in our minds… so much so… that we wouldn’t walk through the walls, but entered through the places marked as doors. 

Young Jewish men and women were rejoicing over their future temple, while older men could only look at the with sadness on the past. Old destroyed memories brought sadness. Young future vision brought joy.

20 year old future pastor, Osvaldo Carnival, stood with me in a large, empty warehouse type building.  He had no congregation, but he could see what I could not. He could see over one thousand new Christians. He pointed up and described to me the “wrap-around” balcony filled with hundreds of worshippers. He was young and full of vision and I, although much older, wanted only to encourage him to “go for it.”

P.  Lord, when we get older we tend to look back. Past blessings seem fresh in our minds and we live them over again. When we get together with our friends of long ago we laugh together as we tell each other our take on some past incident. But, dear Jesus, please don’t let me get stuck in the past. Give me Your holy vision for the future. Even when the foundations don’t impress me, give me the joy of seeing by faith great things that You have for us just ahead.  Amen.

Ralph