PASTORS' DAILY DEVOTIONAL
Sep
27

Give Careful Thought to Your Ways

John Danganan

Scripture

5 Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. 6 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 purse with holes in it." (Haggai 1:5-7)

Observation

The central ministry of the prophet Haggai was to rebuild the temple. Nineteen years after the initial construction of the temple in 539 B.C. temple construction stopped because the people built their own homes and worked on their own farms. In a series of four "oracles" or "words" to the people God commands them to give careful thought to their ways. The people are to pause. They are to think deeply and consider thoughtfully the futility of their ways--they have exerted maximum effort at minimal gain. The people have toiled and labored with very little return because they have built their own house first and neglected to build the house of God at all. In essence, they sought to build their own kingdom and not the kingdom of God. When God's covenant people don't live out their covenant the consequence of drought and poor harvest is naturally imposed on them. The importance of the temple cannot be overstated because it is the primary dwelling of the presence of God and it was also the central gathering of worship and sacrifice for the people of God. When there is no worship, there is no rest.

Application

Though this book is over twenty five hundred years old it's message is timeless. In fact it can be a commentary of United States--"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. All one has to do is drive through Hawaii Kai on the 3rd Thursday of the month to see the excess stuff we have. We work to have more stuff but it never satisfies. Point of Obedience:
- Enjoy the satisfaction and fulfillment of seeking the kingdom of God and having the Lord "add all these things."
- Give careful thought to the fleeting emptiness of consumerism.
- Encourage the people of God to think deeply of their ways--why work so much? why have so much stuff? why do we have so much? why do we think we need so much?

Prayer

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for speaking to me today and encouraging me to think deeply. Jesus you are all I want. Help me to seek your kingdom first. You are my portion and strength.


Devotions for September 27

Haggai 1,2
Psalms 129
Luke 10

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