Read: Haggai 1-2
When was the last time you read the two chapters of Haggai? Never? It is not an often turned to book in our Bibles but I would encourage you to read it’s two chapters (38 verses total) this week. Haggai was a prophet who called the people to turn to God at a time in which they were consumed with themselves. He says, “Give careful thought to your ways…” Perhaps this is a prophetic voice that we need to hear again today.
When the Isrealies returned to Jerusalem from exile they started to rebuild the temple but failed to finish the work once they got consumed by their own lives and personal desires. In verse 4 of chapter 1 he says, “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” Haggai’s encouragement goes beyond just a physical building plan though. He asked them to give careful thought to all of their priorities in life.
We have many pressures in life. People place demands on our schedules and have expectations they want us to fulfill. It seems like someone is always wanting something from us or else we find other things we want to do to fill our time. The most important things in life are sometimes left behind. Haggai reminds us that God, our faith, and how we use our resources such as time, money, and talents are really the most important things in life. His encouragement and challenge in these 38 verses is to be about the things of God first and foremost. Perhaps we should give careful thought to how this prophet’s words apply to our own lives.
Make It Personal: What is God telling you about your priorities, time, money, and values? Pray and ask Jesus to help you do some realigning if that needs to take place. Ask God to help you be about his priorities in this world and then ask him to help you with all of the other things that follow after that. Through the encouragement of Haggai the temple was finally completed in 520 B.C.. It appears that the people listened and got their priorities in order.
Have a wonderful week, Glen Rhodes
