Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill
until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
We spent New Year’s Eve with my side of the family in a private
resort in Antipolo City. The panoramic view overlooking the city was superb
during the countdown. Add to that the warmth of being with my favorite clan
again. It was everything I planned and prayed for. My heart was just so full
and rejoicing. Until that Magic Sing took over the scene. Being a musician, I
really have very low tolerance for out-of-tune singing. Please understand that
it’s because my ears weren’t wired for such. Plus I’m worrying about the owner’s
reminder of the anti-noise ordinance. It was a hard struggle. And definitely
not my ideal first, few hours of 2013.
In this chapter, we see the tribes
of Judah and Benjamin embarking on their task of rebuilding God’s temple. It
was their first endeavor as a returning nation. Sadly, they were welcomed with
much opposition. And by welcome, it meant the struggle came from within. Their
monotheistic faith threatened the idolatrous and immoral ways of the Samaritans
squatting in the land. These pagans employed deception, discouragement and detraction
to stop the work. And for sixteen years, they were seemingly successful in
their slander.
It’s only the fourth of January and some of us are already
struggling to overcome discouragements. The indulgence of the season may have
left our purses almost empty; or maybe the holiday cheers faded at the sight of
your gloomy workplace (and officemate!); or maybe we already failed in our set-resolutions.
It may seem that these attempts to put us down are beyond our control, but
truth is, the decision to respond parallel to the enemy’s lies is up to us.
Being halted for a moment is far different from not trying again. We have the
Resurrected Christ in our lives. His light can shine amidst any darkness, even
death. With Him, we can move from striving to actually thriving. That’s our
hope this new year!
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