Emptiness Without God
A Call to Build the House of the LORD
7 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. 8 Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the LORD. 9 "You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the LORD Almighty. "Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. 10 Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. 11 I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands."
Bee's Thoughts:
Have we ever pause and think why sometimes the plans or things we wish to do fail? The above passage gives us the answer. We plan and we all the things to please ourselves rather than God. We keep all our money or time for ourselves and give little or none to God.
When we honor God, He will honor us. When we dishonor Him, He will dishonor us too. Therefore, we need to learn to give to Good what is due His.
Dear Lord,
Tonight I want to surrender the things and people I love to You. Take them all and make them Yours. I humbly bow myself before You and ask that You take my being with You too. May my life be a blessing to many when You have dealt thoroughly with me.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Tommy's Thoughts:
Many of us today are living a life filled with pressures, demands, and expectations that push in from all sides and assault our schedules. We feel as though everyone wants a piece from us – family, friends, employer, church. Not long until we find our selves totally drained, exhausted and left little to give, we burn and run out of energy and time. And, though we can say God is number one, yet we often relegate Him to a lesser number in our long to-do list.
The book of Haggai is small and short, but it can be considered as the most relevant book for busy people like us today. It gives the solution for the madness in rushing through life, attending to so many tasks and demands daily. It also shows to us that our problem is not caused by the volume of demands or us not being good at managing our time, but it is our values – what is truly important to us (v5-6).
The book of Haggai teaches us to have the “right value and priorities” by first seeking God and His kingdom in order to have true joy in our lives. It is because God has promised to provide for our deepest needs if we were to put Him first in our lives.
Dear Father, thank You for speaking to me through the book of Haggai, reminding me of Your claim on my life and my priorities. Teach me not to put any wrong and selfish pleasures above You but instead obeying and seeking first Your kingdom and Your righteousness (Matt. 6:33). Thank You Almighty Jesus, In Your precious Name I pray, Amen.
