My family and I travel by car twice a year from our home in Sandpoint, Idaho, to a little school in the mountains of Colorado about 1,200 miles away. It usually takes us three days, with several stops and, of course, an overnight at a hotel with a pool. In the book of Ezra, the journey home for the exiles (50,000 people!) was about 900 miles. They traveled by caravan, not by car—a journey that took around four months. What an ordeal!
Now, imagine yourself on a four-month, 900-mile walk with 50,000 of your closest friends. What are you thinking about when you arrive? Crashing into bed? Setting up your new home? Getting something to eat? I’m sure the returnees did all that, but verse 68 describes one thing in particular they did: “When they arrived at the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave freewill offerings toward the rebuilding of the house of God on its site.” God’s people gave! They had just made what must have been an exhausting trip across the Middle East, and the first thing they did upon arrival was to give. Why did they give? So the temple could be rebuilt. Think about that.
I’m sure they were exhausted, hungry, tired, worn out, ready for a nap, anxious to get started on their own homes, and a million other things that needed to get done so they could settle into this new life in the promised land. But they put the first thing first. They prioritized restoring God’s temple, because they knew that their relationship with God mattered more than anything else. This example is a reminder for us today to prioritize God and our relationship with Him above all else.
Go Deeper
Why did God’s people prioritize giving upon their return? How can you prioritize your relationship with God above all the other things competing for your attention?
Pray with Us
Father, in the hustle of our everyday lives, we often forget to prioritize spending time with You. Please draw us closer to Yourself. Our relationship with You matters more than anything.
Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.Psalm 86:11
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