It feels like your life is shattered and you don’t know how to rebuild it from the rubble. Does this sound like you?
This feeling can happen to anyone at anytime. Whether it’s triggered by a catastrophic event or creeps in like a slow leak, we can take heart in knowing that we’re not alone. In fact, there are a lot of biblical stories where lives were shattered, and rebuilt.
Jeff walks us through the exile of the Israelites to Babylon. They lived shattered lives as captives for seventy years, until, “God stirred up the heart of Cyrus, king of Persia” (Ezra 1:1) who allowed them to return to Jerusalem.
They returned in three waves. Each wave attempted to rebuild their shattered lives in a different way, and these three ways are vital to our own struggles.
Snippet from the Show
One of the tactics of the enemy, when you are going through a hellish time in your life, is to isolate you. He makes sure that you are good and alone; because when you are alone your mind can run away with thoughts. You don’t have the encouragement that comes from others.
SHOWNOTES
- Sacraments (Ezra 3:7 – 6:18)
In the first wave, Zerubbabel, a descendent of David, rebuilds the Temple.
The Temple is very similar to our sacramental life; the former is how the Israelites connected to God, and the latter is how we Catholics connect to God. To rebuild, we need strength that can only come from God.
It’s absolutely vital to enter into the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, to rebuild a shattered life.
- The Word of God (Ezra 7:1 – 10:44)
In the second wave, Ezra returns and begins teaching and establishing the law.
Ezra 7:10 “Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach his statutes and ordinances in Israel.”
We need to do the same and read the Word of God. If you need somewhere to start, try lectio divina.
You can also check out The Great Adventure Catholic Bible. This is the only Bible that incorporates The Great Adventure’s color-coded Bible Timeline learning system, a system that has made The Great Adventure Bible study resources the most popular and influential in the English-speaking world.
- Community/Communion of the Saints
In the third wave, Nehemiah return and rebuilds the wall of the city.
The wall represents community and the communion of saints. Don’t go it alone. We need others to encourage us along the way.
Check out Jeff’s upcoming book – The Activated Disciple: Taking Your Faith to the Next Level- coming soon!
Do you have comments or questions for Jeff? Use the comment box below, or email Jeff at thejeffcavinsshow@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!
