Procrastination

You may not “be there” yet, but hopefully, you can hear GOD clearly through the words of Haggai and find what you’ve been searching for. Haggai’s one o them “minor prophets” back in the days before God came as baby Jesus … around 520 BC…and even though his “book” doesn’t contain but 2 chapters, the words he relays from God packs all the punch needed. It points to a specific “problem” that the people had THEN, and the main problem that people have NOW. GOD wanted the temple rebuilt and the people kept putting it further down on the priority list ! The LORD says through the prophet Haggai, “ How yall gon’ keep building your fine houses when Mine lays in ruin !? Yall better recognize ! Yall are plantin a lot, but notice how little you’re harvesting. Yall eat, but notice how you never feel full. Yall drink, but you never feel hydrated. Y’all’s closets and dresser drawers are overflowing, but it’s never enough. Yall make plenty o’ money, but it’s never enough ( purse got holes in it ). GIVE CAREFUL THOUGHT TO YOUR WAYS. Yall expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why ? Because of My house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. Therefore, because of you, I’ve withheld all the things that would fulfill you and your household ( paraphrased ).” Haggai 1:3-11 I can hear that brain whirring from here ! You’re thinkin, “ What temple ? I ain’t ignoring anything. I’m doin all i can right now just to keep my head above water ! What’s that Old Testament stuff got t’ do with me and today ?” Hey … that’s good ! At least you’re askin the right questions and wanna know how it relates to you and yours “today”. Because of the people’s procrastination and lack of care, God’s house stayed in ruin, while the people were focused on their own material and physical happiness. They weren’t practicing the mandates of God and giving Him their “firstfruits” ( Proverbs 3:9 )…shoot…they hardly gave Him their leftovers ! We get so caught up in ourselves and forget about God. We begrudgingly give, ( if we give at all ), our time, talents and treasures ( that’d be the money He allows us to earn ), and we wonder why we can never “get ahead”. Even livin from paycheck-t-paycheck seems impossible ! “On a fixed income” … more like “broke income” ! If we’d only put into practice what God’s been tryin to teach us ! Seek first HIS kingdom and HIS righteousness , and HE will see to it our cars run, the paycheck is enough , our marriages are happy , the kids are well-fed and successful and our homes are leak-free. “Contentment” doesn’t come when GOD is placed low on the priority scale. “We” are His “temple” ( 1 Corinthians 6:19 )… If we ain’t livin our lives to please Him FIRST , why would He bless us ?!? He told us to “love the Lord with all our hearts , souls , minds and strength …and to love others as we do ourselves” ( Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37-40 ). Can you honestly say you do this !?? ( And by the way, He asks the same of me ). If everything else comes before God and His desires, what does that say about His “worth” ? When we finally get to the point that we can’t stand the way things are…hopefully , we’ll seek God’s forgiveness and repent of our selfish and evil ways and turn to Him for restoration. “ If my people , who are called by My name , will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways , then I will hear from heaven , and I will forgive their sin and heal their land” ( 2 Chronicles 7:14 ). By refusing to live in accordance with God’s will , we can expect things to get only worse… But, if we’re ready to hear and heed His message , we can repent and follow with an obedient heart and enjoy life “in abundance” ( John 10:10 ) ! Haggai…you didn’t have a whole lot t’ say , but you said a mouthfull !