Haggai
Scripture
Haggai 1:3-6
“Then the LORD sent this message through the prophet Haggai: “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins? This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! 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!”
Observation-What does it say?
Within two years of their return from captivity in Babylon, God's people had returned to Jerusalem. They began to build God's temple. But when their neighbors (the Samaritans), and others who had moved into the land in their absence, saw just how rapidly the returning exiles were reestablishing their society and their temple, they mounted an aggressive campaign to stop the building. And you know what?.. It worked! Progress on the temple stopped for 16 years! Instead of building a house for the Lord, the Israelites began building houses for themselves. Instead of seeking God, they sought to please themselves. Then the word of the Lord came to Haggai the prophet, in which Haggai spoke to Zerubbabel the governor of Judah, and Joshua the high priest. Haggai basically told them that they had lost their way and that they have forgotten the instructions of God, the God of their fathers.
Understanding-What does it mean?
Whose kingdom am I building here on earth? Is it God's or my own?
The people of Israel got caught up with the busyness of life and they let the world around them help determine what they put their values in. They lost focus. They sought out earthly riches instead of seeking out God. And no matter how hard they worked to attain all these things, they just couldn't gain any ground. Without God in the center of their lives, they were not receiving His blessings.
Now it's easy for me to say "shame on you Israel!" But as I reflect on my own life, I hate to admit that sometimes I can be guilty of the same thing. How many times have I put my personal gains ahead of God's plan? And no matter how hard I worked to attain certain things, I never felt satisfied. The more I got, the more I wanted. It can be a vicious cycle. The only thing that can break that cycle is coming to an understanding that God's values are worth more than anything I value.
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33 NLT
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Matthew 6:19-21 NLT
Life Application
What am I doing with the blessings God has given me?
One thing that still sits with me to this day is a sermon that Pastor Gary preached on. In it he reminds us that one day we will see God face to face and He will hold us accountable for the things He has blessed us with, and how we used those things to further His kingdom. And at the end of the day, God is not going to be impressed with how big a house we bought for our family, or what kind of car we drove, or even the money we accumulated that set up our families financially for life. God is more concerned with how we built His church, and furthered His kingdom on earth in His absence. It can be a bitter pill to swallow if we lose our ways like the Israelites did in this chapter. But as long as we learn from the past, center ourselves in God's ways, there's no telling the blessings that awaits us as we enter His kingdom.
God forgive me for my selfish ambitions. Forgive me for losing my way at times and falling trap with the worldly values instead of valuing Your's. Give me a focus and a fire to help build your kingdom here on earth as it is in Heaven. Thank You for blessing me with so much. Help me to maximize those blessings the way You intended. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.