July 4, 2021 – Haggai 1,2

After the exile, and when the people had returned to the land, Haggai was concerned that the people were more concerned about their own things than the things of God: “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?” (1:4) But even their own needs were not being met: “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” (1:5,6).

Actually, especially with that last statement about wages being hidden away in holes, I wonder if it was a matter of the people's needs not being met or was it a matter of them just always wanting more, more, more and never being satisfied? Well, the Lord, through his prophet, explained. Because their priorities were so far off, the Lord himself was withholding blessing from the people. But when the people got their priorities straightened out, the Lord declared, “But from this day on I will bless you” (2:19). How should we, then, live? The lessons, here, are pretty obvious, aren't they?

Take my life and let it be

consecrated, Lord, to thee.

Take my moments and my days;

let them flow in endless praise,

let them flow in endless praise. -- Frances Ridley Havergal