Keep your head up…

I have been working on a sermon to preach this Sunday. It’s entitled, “Where is God?” I don’t want to get into my sermon but I will touch on it some. I hope you never experience this in your spiritual walk because it is a miserable place to be but do you know anyone who has walked close to the Lord and for whatever reason, it seems as though that walk grew dim until it seemed God was nowhere to be found. It’s hard to cry out to God only to hear silence and it seems like He is not listening and is nowhere to be found. The reality of it all is, He is near, He does care, and He will come through, just hold on and try to keep your head up. I thought about Israel. WOW! Put yourself in their shoes for a minute. Here you are, God’s chosen people. He has chosen you to establish His name. He has given you His law. He has blessed you beyond anything imaginable. Zechariah 2:8 says that you are the apple of God’s eye. He has given you an abundance of blessings that you did nothing to get! He established His dwelling place, the tabernacle (and temple) in your midst. He has visited you in the form of a cloud on several occasions. He has spoken to you through the fathers and the prophets. Life is good.
But one day it took a turn for the worse. It’s not God’s fault, it’s ours. Because of sin (2 Chronicles 36) God allowed the Babylonian army to come in and destroy Jerusalem, including the temple. They killed women, children, men, grandmaws and grandpaws…anybody and everybody. To get a glimpse of just how bad it was read Psalm 74 and 79. The ones who survived were carried away and led into captivity. For the next seventy years God would be silent. I think I would be asking, “Where are you at God?” or “What’s going on here?” and they did. Of course they blamed God and questioned Him, much like we do when we are going through hard times.
But now for the good part of this story. The book of Ezra, chapter one, tells that Cyrus allowed the captives to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple and their city so they can worship again. Ezra, chapter three, tells us what happened. They started rebuilding the temple and they rebuilt the foundation. Ezra 3:11 says, “And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD: “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever toward Israel.” Then all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.” Most of them were so excited! Why? Because they are back home, rebuilding the place they love, and soon, worship would be restored. They, once again, would be able to make their sacrifices and enter into the presence of God. God has not forgotten them. He is blessing them once again. Let me encourage you by telling you that God has not forgotten you! He is there! He is with you, right by your side. Keep your head up and don’t give up! I will leave you with James 1:12 (NLT) God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.