It's easy to become preoccupied with temporal needs, stressors, and desires and end up giving God the leftovers of our time, energy, and resources. This is an obvious temptation for God's people today and, apparently, it was when Jesus walked the earth in the first century as he tried teaching his followers to "seek first [God's] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matt 6:33).

Says one author: "It seems that every generation of believers, from ancient times to modern, must learn this lesson anew. It is a truth that was ignored, if in fact it was grasped at all, by the people of God to whom the prophet Haggai ministered in the sixth century B.C. Although they verbally might have articulated a belief to the contrary, their actions clearly disclosed their inverted priorities. In reality they sought first the kingdom of self and its comforts; they would get around to the work of God after those priorities had first been settled" (Taylor and Clendenen, Haggai, Malachi, The New American Commentary, 24). Perhaps we can all learn from their mistakes.

Rhome van Dyck is the founder and leader of SacraScript, an international team of seminary-trained individuals with various specialties whose goal is to create Bible study curriculum that reaches across denominational lines and geographical boundaries. Rhome is a pastor-teacher, has traveled extensively training both pastors and lay people in the understanding and beauty of the sacred Scripture and the proclamation of the gospel.