Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but never have enough. You drink but never have your fill. You put on clothes but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” – Haggai 1:5-6
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The people of Judah had been in Jerusalem eighteen years after returning from exile in Babylon. They were all settled into their homes and had cultivated their lands.
They found that though they worked hard, their harvest was little. They did not seem to have enough. Haggai is calling them to think. What could be the reason? Wrongly ordered priorities.
While the people lived in panelled houses, the temple of God lay in ruins. They showed little or no reverence for God or His temple. They should have taken no rest until the work of God was as prosperous as their own personal lives. They should have been as willing to sacrifice for the work of God. Instead, they focused on rebuilding their own lives.
The people had their own share of excuses. The land was still desolate. The work was hard. They didn’t have a lot of money or manpower (1:6). They suffered crop failures and drought (1:10-11). Hostile enemies resisted the work (Ezra 4:1-5). They feared opposition. And on and on.
God saw through their excuses just as He sees through our excuses today. Haggai’s call to re-order life’s priorities is like an alarm clock, unwelcome but necessary.
What is the priority for God and His work in your life?
Lord, may you ever be the topmost priority in my life, I pray.
Extended Reading — Haggai 1-2
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