Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Nazarene Publishing House [The Foundry Publishing House] in Kansas City, Missouri, United States for Wednesday, 26 July 2017 - "The Secret to Joyful Worship" by Jerry Frye - Ezra 6:13-22

Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Nazarene Publishing House [The Foundry Publishing House] in Kansas City, Missouri, United States for Wednesday, 26 July 2017 - "The Secret to Joyful Worship" by Jerry Frye - Ezra 6:13-22
Ezra 6:13 Then Tatnai the governor of the territory beyond the [Euphrates] River, Sh’tar-Boznai and their colleagues obeyed strictly; because Daryavesh the king had given the order to do so.

14 The leaders of the Judeans made good progress with the rebuilding, thanks to the prophesying of Hagai the prophet and Z’kharyah the son of ‘Iddo. They kept building until they were finished, in keeping with the command of the God of Isra’el and in accordance with the order of Koresh, Daryavesh and Artach’shashta king of Persia. 15 This house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of Daryavesh the king. 16 The people of Isra’el, the cohanim, the L’vi’im and the other people from the exile joyfully dedicated this house of God. 17 At the dedication of this house of God they offered 100 young bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and, as a sin offering for all Isra’el, twelve male goats, corresponding to the number of the tribes of Isra’el.

18 Then they installed the cohanim in their divisions and the L’vi’im in their orders for the service of God in Yerushalayim, as written in the book of Moshe.

19 The people from the exile kept Pesach on the fourteenth day of the first month. 20 For the cohanim and L’vi’im had purified themselves together; all of them were pure. So they slaughtered the Pesach lambs for all the people from the exile and for their kinsmen the cohanim and for themselves. 21 The people of Isra’el who had returned from the exile and all those who had renounced the filthy practices of the nations living in the land in order to seek Adonai the God of Isra’el, ate [the Pesach lamb] 22 and joyfully kept the feast of matzah for seven days; for Adonai had filled them with joy by turning the heart of the king of Ashur toward them, so that he assisted them in the work of the house of God, the God of Isra’el.

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It’s sobering to be the oldest person in your family’s generation. Home, as you knew it growing up, now belongs to someone else. The yard you played in, the room in which you slept, the place you bowed to give thanks before you ate your meals is no longer available.
That must be how the Jews felt when they returned from exile. They had been in captivity for seventy years (Jeremiah 29:10). Under God’s providence they had returned home to reestablish themselves and rebuild the Temple. As they rebuilt on a much smaller scale, the younger rejoiced, but those who were older recalled the former days and wept. They wept because of their disobedience and idolatry, which had cost them dearly. They had refused to listen to the messengers God sent. Sin is never without consequences; nevertheless God in His merciful grace restored them, allowing them to return and rebuild. He sent His prophets to preach God’s truth, and enabled them to prosper.
What does this show us? What is the secret to joy in worship? True joy in worship isn't the result of something "worked up" or "being positive". It is found in confession and repentance, and it is sustained by obedience and relationship.
Hymn for Today:

"Trust and Obey" by John H. Sammis

1. When we walk with the Lord 

in the light of his word, 

what a glory he sheds on our way! 

While we do his good will, 

he abides with us still, 

and with all who will trust and obey. 

Refrain:

Trust and obey, for there's no other way 

to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. 

2. Not a burden we bear, 

not a sorrow we share, 

but our toil he doth richly repay; 

not a grief or a loss, 

not a frown or a cross, 

but is blest if we trust and obey.

Refrain:

Trust and obey, for there's no other way 

to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. 

3. But we never can prove 

the delights of his love 

until all on the altar we lay; 

for the favor he shows, 

for the joy he bestows, 

are for them who will trust and obey.

Refrain:

Trust and obey, for there's no other way 

to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. 

4. Then in fellowship sweet 

we will sit at his feet, 

or we'll walk by his side in the way; 

what he says we will do, 

where he sends we will go; 

never fear, only trust and obey.

Refrain:

Trust and obey, for there's no other way 

to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. 

Thought for Today:

My lips will shout for joy;

I will sing your praise, because you have redeemed me.[Psalm 71:23].

Please pray:
That many people in Reunion will come to know Yeshua the Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
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