In the book of Ezra we hear about the people rebuilding the foundation of the temple which had been destroyed during the exile. We hear of the joy they experienced in that moment.

When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the LORD, as prescribed by David king of Israel. With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD:“He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever.”And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.

Then the text takes an unexpected turn.We hear that not everyone is full of joy.

But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away. Ezra 3:10-13

Here we see two perspectives. One group is full of joy because they have never seen a temple and they are getting to be a part of it. Another is sad because they’ve been a part of it before and what they are seeing now doesn’t compare to their past experience.

Both reactions seem to be acceptable to God but I can’t help but feel sorry for the younger generation. I feel sorry that their joy ‘might’ have been dampened by those who were mourning. I don’t know if this was the case here but it has made me think a lot about my reactions when new generations experience joy when God moves.

I have been blessed to have seen God do some incredible things. I have seen miracles and healings, I’ve heard stories of breakthrough, people giving their lives to Jesus for the first time, watched prophetic words release people – its amazing.

All this should make me more excited and full of wonder to see more but there is a danger that all I have seen could innoculate me to the more if I don’t steward it well. It’s possible that I could set a level of breakthrough that I will celebrate and dismiss anything that I deem to be ’under the bar’ of my experience. I’ve watched this happen in ‘spiritual’ people.

Unfortunately this does two things in my experience.

Firstly, it dishonours God. Everytime we see the Kingdom of Heaven break in we should rejoice. Whether its the healing of a sore finger or a terminal cancer, whether its a person who prays for the first time or a whole school giving their lives to Jesus. When we don’t honour and celebrate those moments we dishonour Him and I believe we can slow down the more God has for us.

Secondly, it discourages the next generation to push into more. When my son first talked, walked, read, spelt, kicked a ball etc. as his parents we celebrated. We’d seen those things before but he hadn’t. Our celebration encouraged him to push into more. The same goes with spiritual breakthrough. Our hearts should burst anytime we see breakthrough and when we celebrate that with the next generation it will multiply.

Its ok to desire more and be sad if what we are seeing is a lack of what we had seen before but lets not forget to celebrate what we are seeing too!