Are you ready to lay the Last Brick in the House of the LORD
Lessons from the book of Haggai
If someone asked you, “How was your day?”, what would you say? Pressure; Deadlines; High Expectations, Pushed from every side. Do this; Do that! Call him; Call her; Get this; Get that done! Go here; Go there; Go the extra mile! Everybody wants something from us! We are often left feeling that so much is left undone; and we are already out of time and energy. We run after what’s URGENT, and neglect what’s IMPORTANT.
The Prophet Haggai asked the same question of the people! More than 25 centuries ago, Haggai was challenging God’s people to respond. The Jews had been motivated to travel to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple destroyed by the armies of Babylon. When the work slowed down a bit, Haggai called them to action.
Haggai 1:8 “Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored, says the Lord.”
The Book of Haggai, has a very powerful message: that God’s Work takes PRECEDENCE over everything else. Haggai’s message motivated the people to pick up their tools and continue the work they had begun. In Haggai 1:2 he nudges the people to consider what the Lord is telling them - that the time has come to complete building the House of the Lord.
As partners in building the House of our God, I have THREE Words of encouragement for each of you!
1. Haggai 2:4 “Be strong…and work. For I am with you.” The time has come to be strong and work, because God is with us!
2. Haggai 2:9 “ ‘The glory of this PRESENT HOUSE will be greater than the glory of the Former House,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
3. Haggai 2:19 “From this day on I will bless you.” The people relaid the temple foundation, and immediately God blessed them. He did not wait for the project to be completed.
Your sacrificial giving has helped us come thus far. What once seemed like an unsurpassable goal, has been steadily and comprehensively acheived: from buying the Land, to repaying the Loans; from laying the foundation to beginning the construction work. You have been faithful partners and we have definitely come a long way. We have just a little farther to go! Come join hands; let us finish what we have started.