Daily Devotional Wednesday 5th February 2020

by William Moody

Haggai 1:2–11

“Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.” Then the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.

“Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the LORD. You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. 10 Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. 11 And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors.”

(ESV)

The people had time to build lovely homes for themselves while the temple lay in ruins (v3-4). Here we see wrong priorities.

The message goes on to speak of the consequences of their wrong priorities (v5-6). Their hard work was bringing little fruit and little reward. God’s people were not knowing the blessing they desire because of putting their own desires before God’s will.

This loss of blessing is to motivate them to change their ways (v7-11). God is calling for an immediate change of priorities among His people. God was calling on His people to heed His voice in those difficult days and to repent.

We need to consider our ways because as individuals and as a church, we may be missing out on blessing and instead be receiving God’s curse because of our sin and wrong priorities. Take time to pray about this.

Can you think of blessing that God might withhold from us as individuals and as a church if our priorities are wrong?

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®),
copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.