Tears And Laughter
A Devotion
The Goodsoil Discipleship Ministry
By Bro. Andy Madonio
January 5, 2000
"No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy
from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise.
And the sound was heard far away."
Ezra 3:10-13
There are two distinct groups in this passage that are symbolic today of those who claim the name of Christ and are diligently working out their salvation with fear and trembling.
The Lord must make 'all things new' with us if we are to be His disciples. The foundation upon which we stand is none other than the Son of God Himself. Some gaze upon Him with joy unspeakable because they see, for the first time, the crystal clarity of the truth and love in Him. It is of no concern to them just how large this foundation appears next to their old, worldly structure; they see only the loveliness of Jesus. It matters not to them if this new foundation is grandiose or heralded by others. Their singular vision sees only that it is the foundation of a building that is tailor made for them alone -- special beyond description.
The others described in this passage are devoted to Jesus and have journeyed far and long to remain so. But there is fragility to their devotion, it is slightly anemic. Why? Because they doggedly cling to memories of their old foundation. As a result, tears of longing for the past cloud their present day vision of Jesus. For these saints, the old is not quite gone, and the new is somewhat postponed. The sounds of these two groups within the church are noised abroad throughout the world we live in today. What does the world hear from the direction of the church? Instead of a clear, strong voice of unified praise that would make it sit up and take notice, it hears a "noise" that is undistinguishable and uninviting. This "noise" is not powerful enough to 'lift Him up' such that He can 'draw all men' unto Him.
You must look at what the Lord wishes to build as a foundation in your life today. Seek His face and His council; tell Him you too rejoice in the building of a new foundation. Search your heart to understand that He is not destroying a great thing in order to build for you a replacement that is less than you deserve. Rather, He has planned something better for just you, perfect, and beyond compare. Trust in His rebuilding program. Your night of weeping is over; it is morning and time to rejoice!
