Well, hello Ezra!

Well, hello Ezra! It’s been a while.

A few weeks in fact since we finished looking at 2 Chronicles. I don’t know about you, but there’s been plenty going on in my life. I’ve been working on my third novel, which is currently going under the title of ‘Four Letter Words’ and is all about reconciliation – going back to restore relationships….and if that is even possible…..I’ve been signed up by Yogamatters to write two blogs a month about yoga – the first will be published this week and is called ‘My mat is my island’. It’s all change at Asda Living Gateshead with a new manager and I now have a new role – selling champ! – which is all about active selling at the front of the store. Of course, my community work there is still going strong and we’ve applied for a grant to provide a Santa’s Grotto at a local community fair, which will be a lot of fun. My two youngest have been to Spain with the school for five days which was great experience for them in expanding their independence and a great eye opener for me and Andy to see what life without kids around looks like. Let’s just say, we were all very relieved to get back to normal! And then there is contemporary dance and running and yoga and pilates……

As for Ezra, it’s been 70 years. 70 years since the fall of Jerusalem. God had given the people of Israel so many chances – He’d sent messengers again and again but no one would listen. And so Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Babylonians, attacked Jerusalem. He set fire to the temple and all the palaces. He broke down the city walls. He took all the treasures and articles from the temple and ‘carried into exile to Babylon the remnant’ – the people that were left after the attack.

And so –

The land enjoyed its sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy years were completed in fulfilment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah.  2 Chronicles 36:21

Which I can’t find. The word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, that is. Which is frustrating. Maybe someone can help me out here. Or maybe all will become clear when we read the Book of Jeremiah in a few months time.

And then – 70 years later – in his first year as king, Cyrus king of Persia makes a proclamation. His heart is moved by God to do so. Why else would he think this was a good plan?

‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’  Ezra 1:2-4

70 years is a long time. Some of these people will be settled. They’ll have made a new life for themselves – new friends and neighbours. How hard will it be to leave what they now have for the unknown? Is it ever possible to return? What will they find there? Who will lead them? How can they restore Jerusalem to its former glory? Everyone knows you can’t turn back time. Surely this will just reawaken old hurts. However hard they found it to leave, maybe it will be even harder to return? Who wants to see their city in ruins?

It sounds great to us, doesn’t it? A second chance. A new hope. The opportunity to set things right with God and get his people back on track.

But I can imagine the mixed feelings this declaration may have provoked. I’ve known in my own life a yearning for reconciliation and all the fears that accompany that. The desire for restoration versus the ‘let sleeping dogs lie’ mentality. Going back is really, really hard. It takes far more courage than staying in exile.

Think about people you’ve fallen out with, times you’ve found yourself in exile, places you’ve had to walk away from…..imagine how it would feel to be invited to return, to be given the chance to restore relationships….could you do it? Would you do it? Would your fears hold you back?

These fears are natural. It’s self-preservation. No one wants to be hurt again like they have been before. No one wants to be rejected. Just leave it be. Why stir up old disagreements?  Just live with it. Why potentially make it worse?

Because the possibility of reconciliation and restoration is better, that’s why. I’m going to look into this a lot this month as we travel through the book of Ezra. Which excites me because reconciliation is a passion of mine – that’s what my new novel is about, remember.

So let’s not rush into anything, but let’s start to let these thoughts about reconciliation and restoration enter our minds and hearts.

Let’s see what God is waiting to move our hearts to do or say…………….

“the practice of peace and reconciliation is one of the most vital and artistic of human actions” – thich nhat hanh