Nang marinig sila ni Zerubabel na anak ni Sealtiel at ni Josue na anak ni Jozadak, ipinagpatuloy ng mga ito ang pagtatayo ng Templo ng Diyos sa Jerusalem. Tinulungan sila ng mga propeta ng Diyos.

Ezra 5:2

What is the first thing you do as soon as you wake up? Check your phone? Rush to work or school? Many of us hurry to get the tasks done, and because of the busyness, forget to pray or spend time with the Lord. How does this practice of making the Lord the priority determine our future?

Let’s learn from Jews of the Old Testament. After being in exile in Babylon for many years, the Jews were released and allowed to go home by King Cyrus of Persia. Upon their return to the Promised Land, their job was to rebuild the temple of the Lord. And God appointed leaders like Jeshua and Zerubbabel to lead the returnees and make plans to rebuild the temple.

He also stirred the hearts of the king and their neighbors to contribute gold, silver, supplies, and livestock to the Jews as they restart their lives. With all of these undeserved blessings, the Jews made it a priority to honor God first. They built an altar to worship the Lord and offer sacrifices.

This time, they knew they needed the direction of the Lord every step in the process, especially when they experienced opposition and delays in completing the project. Even then, God was honored.

Will you also make God a priority? Making the Lord first in everything you do shows total dependence on Him. Expect challenges to come but with God’s help, you’ll overcome them.