Today's passage is Ezra 6:12-22.
The officials of the Trans-Euphrates follow Darius's orders, the Jews continue building the temple, and they prosper under the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah.
The temple is completed four years later, hundreds of animals are sacrificed, and priests are installed. The Passover is celebrated and the Feast of Unleavened Bread celebrated with joy because God changed the mind of the king from hostility to helpfulness.
There's no detail about the temple when the building is finished. In previous chapters we learn only that it's 90 feet wide and 90 feet high and has two courses of stone and one of timber.
They started during Cyrus's reign, then quit for fifteen years out of fear and self-interest, then got down to business again and completed the building in four years.
The focus is on the sacrifices and celebration.
The two tribes of Judah and Benjamin sacrifice twelve goats as sin offerings, one for each tribe, the famous scapegoats.
The all important Passover is celebrated, God's deliverance from death. Joy abounds because, separated from unclean practices, the Jews received God's blessing of the king's change of mind.
For me, building the temple is impossible.
I keep getting distracted.
For God, my impossible is nothing.
One of my Sunday School students said that God is always open to us but we're not always open to God. Such spiritual wisdom!
Trying to keep my spirit separate from the world and my own selfishness is my ongoing difficulty.
I need to repent daily, send my sins on the goat into the desert.
Today after a long hiatus, I will visit Andy Murray who is back in the mental hospital.
I cared for him daily when he was in a hospital near me but when he was discharged, I made no attempt to continue that visiting.
On the few times I did try to visit him at his sister-in-law's apt., he refused to talk to me and locked himself in the bathroom!
Without hospital support, visiting him seemed hopeless, so I didn't do it.
Now he's back in the hospital and apparently doing better.
Today I will visit him and bring him a few books to read. I will repent to him.
My main application is to reach out to his son in America, who is angry at his parents and angry at God for the situation of his parents, who are both suffering.
I will write him a letter today, sharing my own suffering brought on in part by my parents' decisions and diseases.
I will share my student's understanding about God with him and invite him to be open to the Lord. Mostly I will repent.
Lord, give me your heart to reach out to Paul Murray. Do the impossible, Lord, and touch his heart for you. Forgive me my selfish lapse of building your temple in my life.
