Today, I am confident there will be a number of people who begin anew a spiritual journey with Jesus! For some it will be a brand new beginning … the Bible refers to it as “NEW BIRTH” (a spiritual “coming alive” through God’s forgiveness, faith in Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit)! What an experience! For others, something happened that caused them to drift and lose their way – they made some bad choices and neglected their relationship with God. Today for them with be a new beginning – a fresh start in following Jesus… a RE-VIVAL of faith in Christ. Regardless, it’s a wonderful beginning – something to celebrate!
I’m aware of the fact that what matters most is that we finish what we begin. Beginnings don’t matter if we don’t finish. But we can’t let that keep us from celebrating beginning! There is something wrong when no one cheering at the starting gate at a marathon. We need supporters cheering wildly at the beginning and the end of the race.
Thought of all of this as I read these words in my Bible this morning during “Coffee with the Lord”… God’s people had experienced a long hiatus of exile in Babylon because of their sin. The temple (and Jerusalem) had been destroyed. Now they were returning home … the challenge that faced them was A “NEW BEGINNING”…
“All the people assembled in Jerusalem with a unified purpose… Even though the people were afraid of the local residents, they rebuilt the altar at its old site. Then they began to sacrifice burn offerings on the altar to the Lord each morning and evening… This was even before they had started to lay the foundation of the Lord’s temple… The construction of the temple of God began in mid-spring, during the second year after they arrived in Jerusalem. The work force was made up of everyone who had returned from exile… When the builders completed the foundation of the Lord’s temple…with praise and thanks they sang this song to the Lord: ‘He is so good! His faithful love endures forever!’ Many of the older priests, Levites and other leaders who had seen the first Temple 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 noise that could be heard far in the distance.” (From Ezra 3 in the New Living Translation)
It was just a beginning … but it was a beginning!! TODAY LET’S CELEBRATE EVERY NEW SPIRITUAL BEGINNING! I intend to be cheering for those who decide to follow Jesus at the starting gate… AND THE FINISH LINE! (Check out Luke 15.4-7… “I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.”
Coffee With The Lord 