They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required (Ezra 3:4)
When God's people returned to Jerusalem after their captivity, they began to rebuild the temple. Even before it was completed, their resolve was to glorify God. They feared God above all people. They knew and obeyed His word. They served Him! Sometimes we need to take a lesson from those who have walked the path of God before us.
We should never hesitate to glorify our Father in Heaven. After all, all things are because He commanded them to be. The house we live in, the job we hold, the family we have - all written long before we were conceived. Each and every one of us has a duty to offer to Him the glory for it all.
Fearing God and being afraid of Him are not the same. I am not afraid of God (I am afraid of snakes) - so long as I do what He command me to do there is nothing to fear! The fear of God (knowing what he can do) comes into play when we become cocky in our attitude and need to be reminded that we serve Him - not the other way around. All that we are, all that we have, again, comes from Him. There is no accomplishment made that is not given us by God. The talents we use to complete a task were by His design. Nothing we do is done alone. When we forget that, we begin to walk a very thin line - and the enemy waits for us to fall off so that he can sneak in an claim the victory.
Secure a better understanding of God's word - of who He is and what He wants from you! He will guide each step you take, every decision you make and you will know God. Obeying His word is sometimes harder than it seems when the human wants keep getting in the way. Follow all the rules. When you do, there will be treasures built up in heaven (and sometimes here on earth) that will be worth something. You will not have paid for them with deception or lies. They will be honest gains.
Serve the God who created you. Serve Him through your actions and through your words. Use every opportunity you encounter to share His wonderful gifts with others. Be patient enough to wait on His love for you. Know that in all things, He should come first. Remember to thank and praise Him for all He gives you (and for all He takes away from you). We see only what is directly in front of us - He sees it all.
Above all, remember that He will not fail you, He will not let you down! Be as the captives who returned to Jerusalem and Judah - resolve to glorify God, fear Him above all people, come to know and obey His word and serve Him with your whole heart. It's really not as difficult as it seems. Make it a part of your life and your life will be filled with blessings. Do not take what is not rightfully yours and do not let the enemy convince you otherwise. God has His mighty hand on your shoulder - let Him direct you and use you for His glory - not yours!
