Life in modern times is marked by a very fast phase. Especially for those who live in big cities. Tasks and responsibilities come one after another. Everything feels urgent and does not give us the opportunity to think carefully about how we should start, choose, or even end something we have done. In the hustle and bustle of life that comes, it is important for us to always have a clear heart and start everything with the right choices and steps. That is what we want to reflect on in this reading. The restoration of life after the exile in Babylon has begun. Among the many pressing tasks, they chose to start everything from submission to the Owner of the Universe.

Verse 1 provides a time frame for the starting point of the events described in Ezra 3. It was the seventh month after the Israelites settled in their cities. They began the next phase from Jerusalem. Since the time of the nation's ancestors, Jerusalem has been the center of worship and spirituality of the nation. So one thing that must be a precursor is to uphold and refresh that memory through the implementation of religious rituals. The construction of the altar of God thus becomes a necessity. Various types of sacrifices become rituals that must not be forgotten, so the altar becomes very important. Since the altar was built, the sacrificial ritual has been carried out routinely. Daily sacrificial rituals, sin-removal sacrifices, and sacrifices carried out on certain holidays. In addition to the sacrificial ritual, the holidays required by God must also be carried out again, one of which is the Feast of Tabernacles.

It is interesting to note that these rituals were carried out first, long before the work of building the Temple began. Simply put, it can be imagined that various religious activities were established first, then the "place" to do them was established later. Of course, this does not indicate which is more important because both are equally important, but we can see it as an effort to make a habit of life centered on worship. The leaders of that time did not want to repeat the same mistake, namely a life far from attachment to God in the past. The name of the Lord must be upheld, gratitude to Him echoed in the worship of the people, confession of sins, and repentance must become common practices among the people. While re-establishing the life of worship, on the other hand funds and energy were also collected for the provision of building the Temple. After everything was sufficient, then in the second year and second month the ritual of laying the first stone for the construction of the Temple began. The hearts of the people overflowed with gratitude. Verses 12-13 express very verses the gratitude, joy and emotion of the people of Israel.

May our reflections now also re-strengthen our steps in treading everything. The challenges, responsibilities, and tasks that come into our lives may be very diverse but one thing that should never change is that we begin everything in submission to God.