Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“But many of the priests and Levites and heads of families, old people who had seen the first house on its foundations, wept with a loud voice when they saw this house, though many shouted aloud for joy, so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people’s weeping, for the people shouted so loudly that the sound was heard far away.”
NL Daily Devotion for Sunday, December 15, 2019
by Dr. Kimberly Leetch, Clergy Stuff
Main Idea: When we look backward, we can learn; when we look forward, we can dream; and when we live in the moment, we can experience the presence of God.
Persia had defeated Babylon (who had conquered Jerusalem). The time of Babylonian exile was over. Although Persia continued to reign, King Cyrus allowed the Jewish people to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple.
Cyrus instructed that survivors of the exile be aided no matter where they live by people with the means to help them. Even with permission to rebuild and money to do it, the temple would never again live up to its former glory.
Once the temple was in a condition to worship, Jews gathered to celebrate and to bring their offerings to the Lord. They celebrated the festival of booths, which was both a harvest celebration and a remembrance that God’s people were wholly dependent upon God during the time of the Exodus.
During the celebration, the young people shouted with joy, for they had never seen the temple except in a state of destruction. To them, the temple signified a bright future for Israel.
The elders, however, remembered what the temple used to look like. They grieved for what was when they saw how unimpressive the new temple was.
This story includes both a look back and a look forward. For the elders, looking back cause pain because of the regret over what was and what will never be again. For the young, looking back was a cause for celebration because they could dream of what their future might become. It can be good to look back—remembering our past helps us not to make the same mistakes again. It can also be good to look forward—dreaming of our future can motivate us to do what we need today to make a better tomorrow happen. It can also be good to be fully present right now. All the people, elders and young, engaged in the rituals and the celebration, acknowledging God’s presence in the here and now.
Lord, direct my eyes always to you. Amen.
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