Joy Gems

Joy and Grief Mingled Over Plan B

Ezra 3:11-13 With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD: “He is good; his love to Israel endures forever.”

And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.

That must have been a time of sharp contrasts. The older people were glad to finally see the foundation being laid for a new temple, but they also remembered the glory and size of the previous one that had been turned into rubble, and this foundation was so small in comparison that they just wept with disappointment.

Oddly enough, there were so many who were beside themselves with joy at the prospect of this new temple that their shouts of joy were just as loud as the weeping of the older saints.

Together these groups made such a loud sound that they were heard far away.

Joy and disappointment are equally strong emotions and can happen at the same time. I know this to be true for myself. Maybe you do too.

Sometimes the joy at what we have or are about to receive is very great. Yet when we think of what might have been, what we could have had - if it had not been for sin - we grow very sad.

PRAYER: Oh Lord, when we waste our lives with sin, You are able to bless us with a smaller blessing than what You had in mind for us, but how much better if we had followed You from our youth and obeyed You heartily from the beginning? We short-change ourselves so often. It is never Your fault. You have fantastic plans for us! Help me to stop grieving and make the most of Plan B or C.

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