Ezra 2:33-39: a reflection

33The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty-five. 34The children of Jericho, three hundred forty-five. 35The children of Senaah, three thousand six hundred thirty. 36The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy-three. 37The children of Immer, one thousand fifty-two. 38The children of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred forty-seven. 39The children of Harim, one thousand seventeen.

This passage is a list of names and numbers, the families who returned from exile in Babylon to Jerusalem, counted one group at a time. Behind the dry roll of numbers lies a striking reality: these were the people who chose to leave the settled life they had built in Babylon and undertake the hard journey home, to the difficult work of rebuilding a ruined city and a fallen temple. They answered the call to return and rebuild, and each family is here counted and recorded.

Notice who these people were: those willing to return and rebuild. Many exiles, no doubt, stayed comfortably in Babylon; the work of returning to a ruined homeland and rebuilding from rubble was hard and uncertain. But these families answered the call, left their settled lives, and came back to do the difficult work of restoration. And God took note of them, each family counted and recorded in his book, honored for answering the call.

That is worth pondering as we consider our own response to God's calls. God still calls people to the hard work of building and restoring, in his church, in broken places, in the lives of others; and it is often easier to stay settled and comfortable than to answer such calls. But these families show us those who were willing to leave comfort for the work of restoration, and God recorded them. When God calls you to a hard work of building or restoring, do not always choose the comfortable and settled path. Be among those willing to answer, to leave ease for the work God calls you to, and know that God notes and records those who step up for his work, as he recorded these who returned to rebuild.

Lord, this list records the families who left their settled lives in Babylon to return home and undertake the hard work of rebuilding a ruined city and fallen temple; each is counted and recorded, honored for answering the call. Help me ponder my own response to your calls. Many exiles stayed comfortably in Babylon, for the work of returning and rebuilding was hard and uncertain; but these families answered, left comfort, and came back to the difficult work of restoration, and you took note of each one. You still call people to the hard work of building and restoring, in your church, in broken places, in the lives of others; and it is often easier to stay settled and comfortable than to answer. When you call me to a hard work of building or restoring, keep me from always choosing the comfortable path. Help me be among those willing to leave ease for the work you call me to, knowing that you note and record those who step up for your work.