The Wednesday Word 10.12.2022

 

Haggai 1:2–8 NLT

2 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The people are saying, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.’” 3 Then the Lord sent this message through the prophet Haggai: 4 “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins? 5 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! 6 You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes. 7 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! 8 Now go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house. Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored, says the Lord.”

I have become a horrible procrastinator. There are things that cry out for my attention; important things. If you are like me, you have every good intention: make that phone call, mail that card, extend an invitation. Between the anxiety of the pandemic and the joy of my retirement, I have adopted a lifestyle wrapped up in my own little world on my own private cruise control. It might better be described now as inertia. I can see how the people of Israel could fall into that trap. Back in their homeland, freed from forced captivity, they were busy rebuilding their individual lives at the expense of their shared identity as God’s people. Their current situation in this passage, looking at past glories instead of present possibilities, has left them unfulfilled. Turning their pursuits inward has not been all that it was cracked up to be.

God is trying to shake up the self-involved attitude of his people with this message through his servant Haggai, Human nature tends to self-preservation and looking out for one’s own concerns. Creator God’s nature is to spread the love. And, uh…hello! Who delivers you? Who sustains you? Who showers blessings and mercy? Forgetting to whom you owe your very existence is bound to make whatever material gains you may have seem hollow. No amount of stuff can fill the gap in your life where your relationship with God is meant to be. You don’t have to build a temple. You can study God’s Word wherever you are. You can serve God wherever you are. You can praise and honor God wherever you are. Then everything else will begin to fall into place… something to pray about.

Don’t forget to look for the Lord today. Vicki H.

                                                                                                photo by Joshi Milestoner

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