On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the Word of God came through the prophet Haggai: "Tell Governor Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and High Priest Joshua son of Jehozadak and all the people:
'Is there anyone here who saw the Temple the way it used to be, all glorious? And what do you see now? Not much, right?
'Is there anyone here who saw the Temple the way it used to be, all glorious? And what do you see now? Not much, right?
"'So get to work, Zerubbabel!'—God is speaking.
"'Get to work, Joshua son of Jehozadak—high priest!'
"'Get to work, all you people!'—God is speaking.
"'Yes, get to work! For I am with you.' The God-of-the-Angel-Armies is speaking! 'Put into action the word I covenanted with you when you left Egypt. I'm living and breathing among you right now. Don't be timid. Don't hold back.'
"This is what God-of-the-Angel-Armies said: 'Before you know it, I will shake up sky and earth, ocean and fields. And I'll shake down all the godless nations. They'll bring bushels of wealth and I will fill this Temple with splendor.' God-of-the-Angel-Armies says so.
What does God want to say to us, today...right now?
What if it was, "get to work!"
There is a time for everything, you know. That's what scripture tells us.
There is a time to rest and let God restore us when we're tired and hurting...and there's a time to get to work.
God told Haggai to tell the people, "get to work, for I am with you."
God is the God of the Covenant. The promise that he made to Abraham would not fail. God will not ever leave his people.
Whenever there has been a mighty task, or a huge call on the life of God's people, God's reassurance has always come: "I will be with you."
The covenant does not fail. But look what an interesting thing we learn about the covenant in Haggai: we are called to put that covenant, "into action."
God waits for us to trust, and then turn that trust to action. We have to take hold of the promise. With God's help, we have to "go to work."
Let's start rebuilding the temple today, whatever that temple might be. God will be with us, and he calls us to go to work.
Prayer: God of the covenant, we remember your promise today: "be strong...I am with you...do not be afraid." May it be so for us today.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.
Tomorrow's Scripture: Psalm 145:1-5
2 comments:
What great scripture after our Town Hall Meeting on Sunday. It is time for Shepherd Of The Hills to "go to work" for God!!!!
Thank you. You are loved.
Sandra Wells
Its reassuring that God waits on us to do His work. Sometimes we are afraid to take that first step...its a scary thing. It intimidating. We become afraid because we worry about US. What WE dont want.
We dont want to leave our comfort zone.
We dont want to take the lead.
We dont want to step out into the unknown.
But He is willing to wait for us to overcome ourselves and see through US to HIM.
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