A Second Chance

Ezra and Nehemiah
Just as the Israelites rebuild the temple, striving to make it useable for their worship of God again, so we may need to rebuild ourselves as the temple of God. Should believers turn away from God though there are consequences for their actions, God does not forsake them and if they return to Him, He'll welcome them. The process of returning or rebuilding can be tedious however, just as it was for the Israelites. It requires purification, confessing and putting off sin. There will most likely be some sort of opposition, just as the Israelites faced--ridicule, perhaps even deliberate and strong efforts to harm on the part of those who are enemies of God and His followers. Facing persecution is however a good sign of belonging to God and growing in Him. Yet greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.
I am thankful that our God is a God of second chances, a reforming, transforming, renewing God. Build and rebuild me, Lord.