Daily Lesson for October 27, 2017

Today’s Daily Lesson comes from Ezra chapter 3 verses 10 through 13:

10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments were stationed to praise the Lord with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, according to the directions of King David of Israel; 11and they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord,

‘For he is good,

for his steadfast love endures for ever towards Israel.’

And all the people responded with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. 12But 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, 13so 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.

Even when we come to a place of seeing what is to be, there is still grief over the loss of what was. This grief is genuine and real and should not be denied its mourning.

The move from a home of 35 years into something smaller and more manageable

The moving of a church from a very dear and sacred place to a new location with no memory

Having to say goodbye to a beloved church in order to move closer to the children and grandchildren

Leaving our earthly Temple to enter into our home in heaven

There is joy, but there is also sadness. Both are true. Both are real. Both are a part of the story.