February 11, 2009
DAY 25
Posted by KI Contributor
Scripture: Haggai 1:1-11
A Call to Consider Your Ways
When the Jews returned to Israel from Babylon in 538 BC, they began immediately to rebuild God’s temple (Ezra 3). But soon, they were discouraged by opposition and concluded in their mind, “the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.” To this group of people, God sent the prophet Haggai, challenging, “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?” (v. 4)
It is true that the Israelites were battling for survival: politically weak, threatened by neighbors, facing droughts and failing harvest. Thus, the temptation of neglecting God’s house was pressing upon them. “It’s not time yet” seemed to be a reasonable remark. That’s the story we hear over and over again: “Let me survive first. Let me finish my schooling first. It’s not time yet, I need to get my career settled first. And then, I shall work on rebuilding the house of the Lord. Then, I shall see what I can do in extending God’s Kingdom. It’s not time yet.”
To this mindset, God speaks: Consider your ways. Give a careful thought. See what is the result of this mindset (v. 6). We may not worry about a famine of food, like the people of Israel here, but we might struggle with a lack of job, a directionless or meaningless life, or a spiritual drought. And often this can become an opportunity to listen to God’s challenges to the ways of our life; to re-examine our priorities – what concerns us, what occupies our thoughts and time.
What are you concerned about these days? Where do you spend most of your time? What are the most important issues in our fellowship of believers? Does this concern enhance God’s pleasure and give Him glory?
Lord Jesus, help us to consider our ways, to see if we have the priorities upside down, if we are busy building a paneled house for ourselves, while Your house, Your glory and honor are left unattended.
PRAYER FOCUS: Vietnam
Praise God that the repression of Communist rule has not served to stamp out Christianity in Vietnam, but rather strengthened the Church and spread a large-scale and sustained turning to God. However, repression of all types of freedom continues. Persecution of Christians and denial of access for Christian agencies have recently grown worse. Pray also for the northern minorities of Vietnam who have no known believers.
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