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September 20th

The bible reading for today is the short 2 chapter book of Haggai.

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.”

‭‭Haggai‬ ‭1:2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

This little book sheds more light on why it took so long to get back to work on rebuilding the Temple in the war torn Jerusalem. God speaks through Haggai to Zerubabbel, Gov. of Judah. He tells him that God knows that the returned exiles are full of excuses for not getting back to work on the Temple.

The people were saying that it wasnt time to get back to business. They had lost heart and lost spiritual sight that they had been invited by God to work with Him on the House. It wasn't their business, it was God’s. Excuses wouldn't cut it.

And so what were some of the excuses? The land was still desolate especially after 70 years of neglect. The work was hard. They had little money and not enough manpower. They suffered crop failures. Hostile enemies resisted them. They remembered easier times in Babylon.

“If this is so hard, with so many obstacles...evidently, God doesn't want us to do this. At least not anytime soon.”

Wow! I can imagine the conversations around the supper table. God would supply if He wanted us to press on. No Im not going back to the quarry tomorrow...maybe never.

Friends I've had those very same kind of reactions and responses to hard work, hard circumstances, seemingly impossible assignments from God.

How many times did Bev remind me that the work of God. The work that He stirred us to do may be hard, but it would be a work of faith. Trusting Him for our daily bread, trusting Him for our moment by moment strength to press on one more day, trusting Him for tomorrow’s supply. No more excuses, Jim. No more excuses fellow followers of Jesus.

“Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?”

‭‭Haggai‬ ‭1:3-4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Ooooh....the people were saying that it wasn't time to rebuild the Temple for their worship of God. But apparently it was time to rebuild their homes for their luxurious worship of themselves. Ouch!

Who did they love? Their priorities were in wrong order. They were content to let the cause of God go unattended at the expense of their own comfort.

Instead, they should have felt no rest until the work of God was as prosperous as their personal lives. They should have been willing to sacrifice in time, in effort, and in resources for the work of God... at least as much as they sacrificed for their own luxury.

“Someone should get to work on the temple. I hope someone steps up. As soon as I finish the remodeling on our home, I'll try to help some.”

Well, the Temple hasn't been open for business for over 50 years, we've got a makeshift tabernacle as it is. We are getting by...

The excuses sound familiar. Haggai was the alarm clock, unwelcomed, but necessary.

God used the prophet to get the people back to work...back to where God was!

Thanks for waking me up Haggai ...Holy Spirit...God is at work...I want to be a part of it till the day I die.

Have a great day