Haggai 1-2; Zechariah 1-3
*Click here to read these passages:
Haggai and Zechariah were both prophets in the time after the
exile was over, years after a remnant of Israelites had returned to Judah with
intentions to rebuild the Temple but had given up on it completely.
The people would make the excuse that it wasn’t the ‘right time’
to rebuilt the Temple. God sends
this message through Haggai: “How is it that it’s the ‘right time’ for you to
live in your fine new homes while the Home, God’s Temple, is in ruins?” And I love what God says after that –
in fact, He says it twice – “Give careful thought to your ways.”
He tells them to really look at how they are spending their
days. How you spend your days is
how you end up spending your life.
They were working but didn’t have really anything to show for it. Day after day, they would go do their
normal routines, focusing on their homes and jobs, but they were never
fulfilled. They were busy, but
busy doing what? For what
good? And for whose sake?
Unlike many of the times we’ve read about in the Old Testament
when God sent a prophet, this time the people actually listened! They obeyed God. God’s response to them – “I am with
you.”
After they had been working on it for a bit God sent Haggai to
give them another message. God knew
that they were probably beginning to realize that the Temple they were building
was not coming close to the splendor of the Temple that Solomon built, and He knew
they probably needed some encouragement.
He says over and over - “Be strong … Be strong … Be strong … and work.”
The take away for me from today:
Give careful thought to how you spend your days. Are you busy stressing over your own
stuff and neglecting what God wants you to do? Obey and He’ll be with you every step of the way. If you are doing what God wants but are
getting discouraged or frustrated, be strong and work. Keep at it. He’s still with you.
“My Spirit remains among you.
Do not fear.”
No comments:
Post a Comment