Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: BEGIN (01/06/22)
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TITLE: First Things First | Previous Challenge Entry
By Marlene Custer
01/12/22 -
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“Welcome to our town,” the checker cheerily replied. “Do you have a church, yet?”
“Oh, heavens no! We have a lot of settling to do before we start thinking about that!”
“Well, here’s a suggestion when you’re ready,” she offered, then handed me a card.
I stuffed it in my pocket and dug out my wallet.
Although the following Sunday arrived with plenty of sunshine, the bed felt really good, so we all slept in. In spite of the extra rest, however, it seemed everyone woke up contrary and ready to pick a fight. As the day progressed, the children kept getting distracted and made very little progress in unpacking their boxes.
My husband got tired of listening to the threats and squabbling and went out for coffee, which irritated me even more! Every time I needed something I had to search for the right box and struggle to get it open. Then there were the little maintenance things that kept popping up—a screw needed here, or a lightbulb changed there.
Besides the unpacking, so many other details cluttered my mind—like getting the kids’ schooling figured out. Were the schools in session or were classes being held on line? Oh how I hoped they were in school! I decided to take something for a dull headache. Maybe I could focus better.
I walked into the kitchen where my phone was tuned to a local station. It sounded like the beginning of a church service. Before I could change the station, the speaker announced that his message was based on Ezra, Chapter 3. Ezra? He must be one of the prophets at the end of the Old Testament. How could this possibly relate to what I was facing now? In spite of my skepticism I sat down to listen.
“Ezra and approximately 50,000 captives had just moved back to Jerusalem. They had traveled a distance of over 1000 miles.” Now he had my attention. I turned the volume up just a bit to hear more clearly.
“It is interesting,” he continued, “that when the Jewish captives returned to Jerusalem their desire was to rebuild the temple. However, the first thing they did was build an altar. They were facing threats from their enemies, and surely had a long list of things to do as they resettled—homes needed to be found, ground needed to be prepared, crops needed put in, but they began with the altar. What a lesson for us—always begin a task that seems insurmountable, with a right relationship to God.”
Tears stung my eyes. Maybe I had missed the boat on thinking I had to be completely unpacked and settled before giving time to God. If truth be known, my relationship with God had not been a priority before the move. I heard little more of the message because I felt compelled to bow my head and have a talk with God right there at my kitchen table.
My husband came home to a different atmosphere. Before hanging up his jacket he tossed a small card onto the table. It was just like the card the cashier at the grocery had given me. I must have looked surprised because my husband explained, “I got to talking to a fella at the coffee shop and he suggested we try this church some time.”
“That’s a good idea,” I replied enthusiastically. “I think we need to begin this next Sunday!
NIV Ezra 3:1-3
Fiction
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