Worship First 敬拜优先
Dexu Xia
They began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, though the foundation of the Lord’s temple had not yet been laid. Ezra 3:6
I’d never planned to start a non-profit organization about adult friendship, and when I felt called to do so, I had so many questions. How would the charity be financed, and who should help me build it? My greatest help on these matters ended up coming not from a business book, but a biblical one.
The book of Ezra is essential reading for anyone called by God to build something. Recounting how the Jews rebuilt Jerusalem after their exile, it shows how God provided funds through public donations and government grants (Ezra 1:4-11; 6:8-10), and how both volunteers and contractors did the work (1:5; 3:7). It shows the importance of preparation time, with rebuilding not beginning until the second year of the Jews’ return (3:8). It shows how opposition may come (ch. 4). But one thing in the story particularly stood out to me. A whole year before any building began, the Jews erected the altar (3:1-6). The people worshiped “though the foundation of the Lord’s temple had not yet been laid” (v. 6). Worship came first.
Is God calling you to start something new? Ezra’s principle is poignant whether you’re starting a charity, a Bible study, a creative project, or some new task at work. Even a God-given project can take our attention away from Him, so let’s focus on God first. Before we work, we worship.
By: Sheridan Voysey
Why do you think the Jews built the altar first? How could worship fit into your workflow today?
Heavenly Father, I worship You as Lord of all, including the tasks You’ve given me to do today.
他们就向耶和华献燔祭，但耶和华殿的根基尚未立定。—以斯拉记3章6节
我从未想过成立一个协助成年人交友的非营利机构，所以当我感觉这是上帝的呼召时，许多疑问也油然而生。我要如何筹措经费？谁能帮忙成立这个机构？后来带给我最大帮助的，不是经营管理的书籍，而是圣经里的一卷书。
若有人被上帝呼召去做某一件事，以斯拉记是必读之书！这卷书记载犹太人被掳归回后如何重建耶路撒冷，上帝如何透过百姓的奉献和官方的支持，供应他们所需的物资（1章4-11节，6章8-10节），以及百姓和工匠的工作情形（1章5节，3章7节）。从书中我们可以看到筹备期至关重要，因为犹太人是归回后第二年才开始重建圣殿的工作（3章8节）。我们也看到阻拦的势力可能会出现（4章）。但这卷书有一件事让我印象深刻，即在任何重建工作开始前的那一年，犹太人就重建了祭坛（3章1-6节）。虽然“耶和华殿的根基尚未立定”，他们就开始向耶和华献燔祭（6节）。众人以敬拜为优先。
上帝正呼召你去做一件新事吗？无论你是准备成立慈善机构、读经小组、创意项目，或是工作中的新任务，以斯拉记的原则必能切中核心！但即使是上帝要我们展开的事工，有时也会令我们分心而未能聚焦于上帝，因此让我们先专注于上帝，以祂为优先。工作之前，先来敬拜。作者： 霍薛顿
你觉得为何犹太人要先建造祭坛？
你要如何将敬拜上帝融入今日的工作流程中？
天父，我敬拜祢，因祢是万物的主宰，祢掌管一切，包括祢今天交给我去做的任务。