- You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the Lord of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. Haggai 1:9 – Some historical context is key to understanding what’s happening here. Babylon overtook Judah, sent away God’s people to exile, and completely destroyed everything in Jerusalem including the temple. After 70 years of exile, Persia takes over Babylon and kindly sends God’s people back to Jerusalem so they could rebuild. While the people had gone home to Jerusalem and rebuilt their own homes, we learn that 18 years after being sent back to Jerusalem the temple was still not finished. Started yes, but after a couple years of work they stopped and it was sitting as an unfinished construction site for well over a decade because the people were making excuses for not doing the work. What we see in our passage is the Lord’s attitude towards such apathy toward the rebuild of His temple. The people were suffering loss and finding no fulfillment in their work because they had prioritized their desires over God’s desires. As believers today, we too can fall into the trap of setting aside God’s work to do our work instead. We can give all sorts of excuses like “we’re just so busy,” or, “it just too much to ask of us.” And yes, doing the Lord’s work is going to interfere with your calendar and what He asks of us is a lot, but He is worth every bit of it. Prioritize today the things and works of the Lord over even your own desires. His house, His ways, His work, and His plan is what ought to matter the most to us as His followers. Make that true of your story today. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2954
- 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 – That’s what they said and that’s what they chose to live by. They chose to live in relation to God by what they though He had said or would have said, not by actually what He had said. Let’s be careful to not fall into this easy trap. Where we serve God and live for God by what we think He’d say for us to do rather than actually searching and finding the truth of what He wants of us. We may find out that some of the truths we believe, things we do, words we say, and even ways we worship are things God never said. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1113
- Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. Haggai 1:4-7 – Haggai is written to the Jews that were sent back to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile that had the task of rebuilding the temple. They had discontinued work due to opposition and Haggai was sent to spur on the completion of the job. He also reveals to them that their lack of finishing God’s work is their reason for why they are in such lack. He tells them to consider their ways. They are in lack and they also are in disobedience…maybe there is a connection. This sure made me want to consider my own ways today. How have I been sent and how have I been lazy in that sending? What have I been putting off building for God to simply build my own house? Let’s be willing to consider our own ways to make sure each life that is supposed to be following Jesus truly is. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2108
Daily DEVO 