Determination to work

 Ezra 5

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• Summary

After about 15 years the LORD sent two prophets Haggai and Zechariah who encouraged the Jews in Jerusalem to start rebuilding the temple again, but on doing so they were challenged by Tatnai, a nearby governor, and others asking who had given them permission.  

The Jews continued their work regardless so Tatnai and his companions wrote to Darius, the King of Persia, telling him what was going on.  They reported that the Jews had said they were servants of the God of heaven and earth and were rebuilding his house after their forefathers had provoked God and it had been destroyed and their ancestors carried away into captivity.  They also told Darius that in the first year of King Cyrus they said they had been told to return to rebuild the house and given gold and silver vessels, and that since laying the foundation it had been in building until now.  They requested that Darius search out the historical records for this decree and let them know his pleasure concerning this.

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• Thoughts

When I was reading this chapter back in January, these words caught my eye: '...and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands' (verse 8).

As I thought about this verse I remembered how during earlier weeks of reading in Chronicles we had seen how the LORD blessed and rewarded those Kings who followed and served him. Here, we see the Jews following the LORD's command in building his temple, and his blessing in the progress they were making.

But what comes to me more strongly is the sense of what is written in Nehemiah 4:6 regarding the rebuilding of Jerusalem's wall, 'So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work'.

Naturally speaking, when we throw all our effort into something we generally see progress.  We have determination to reach our outcome.  I have a memory of my parents when I was dillydallying about getting on with some homework or chores saying, 'Come on, just put your mind to it, and you'll soon be done'.

What makes us 'dillydally' about our work rather than setting our mind to it?  There's a lot written about procrastination, but it often seems to come down to fear or a sense of overwhelm.  Fear that we won't succeed, fear that it will be too hard, a fear that it is too big for us and perhaps we don't know where to start. Or perhaps we don't really care enough to do it.  

Do you have something in your life that the Lord has put in your heart to do and you keep putting it off?  Or perhaps just doing the daily tasks in the path in which the Lord has led you seems like too much effort sometimes.  Of course there can be all sorts of reasons for this.  Maybe you are depressed from all that is going on in the world, and it affects your mood about life in general.  Maybe you don't find your work fulfilling and you need a change or new challenges, or perhaps you have health issues which affect your energy. 

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How can we encourage ourselves to generate a 'mind to work' so that we too might see our work for the Lord going fast on and prospering? 

We can pray!  We can ask our dear Lord to help us, give us that needed strength and perseverance, and help us to do all as unto him.  We can read his word and encourage ourselves in it.  The Jews here had an instruction from the LORD through his prophets and they listened and obeyed it.  

And then there are some practical tips we can use to support our motivation and mood such as :

• reminding ourselves each day why we are trying to do what we are doing;
  
• looking after the body and mind the Lord has given us by ensuring we get enough sleep, fresh air, exercise and healthy nutrition;

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• having fellowship with other Christians. In this account, not only did the prophets give the people words from the Lord, but they helped them - how encouraging that must have been!
  
• break our work down into small tasks, and consistently address them - our pilgrimage journey isn't lived in a day, but step by step as we travel homeward to our Lord; and this temple, wasn't built all at once, but stone by stone, day after day.
  
• Look to the Lord and not at the waves - remember the account of Peter as he stepped out of his boat onto the sea and was able to walk on the water towards Jesus - who we note, had bid him come - but as soon as he took his eyes off Jesus and started looking at all the large waves around him he began to sink (Matthew 14:29);
  

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• Think of the reward of getting your work done.  The Jews here had the prospect of the completed temple, in which they would be able to honour and worship the LORD.  Our Lord Jesus, 'for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross' (Hebrews 12: 2);
• Remove distractions as much as possible.  The Jews here could have been distracted and hindered by all the questions and animosity from the governor Tatnai, Shetharboznai and their companions, but although they answered their questions they continued in the work.

Take courage dear reader, if you are striving to do the Lord's work, rest in this knowledge that it IS his work and he will see it come to fruit.  We read in verse 5 of this chapter, 'But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they (their enemies) could not cause them to cease', and thus their enemies reported to King Darius, 'this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands'.

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