Some 500 years before Jesus arrived, the Jewish people were coming out of seven decades of captivity and returning home to a land filled with foreigners and antagonists. Zerubbabel, a figure in the lineage preceding Jesus, had a goal as leader of the Jewish people to rebuild the temple of the Lord and restore it as a prominent identity symbol for future generations.Zerubbabel accepted his current situation and understood that his plans to restore the temple were not as grand as the previous temple, but he knew that his part in constructing the temple was not the final destination of his effort. He knew that God would be glorified in the future that he could not see.We can be secure knowing that as we embrace our current reality, God will use the tools in our possession today when we become fully involved in serving His people. Heaven rejoices as we put one foot in front of the other and set about building God’s Kingdom. Let us give praise in the beginnings and take joy in starting the work.