Consider Your Ways (or Whose House Are You Building?)

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord… 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: 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. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. 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.” Haggai 1:2,4-11

God’s call through His prophet Haggai was a repeated plea to His people to carefully observe what was going on around them, and think about what they were doing and not doing, and why. In what conditions were they living, and how did their actions have bearing? What motivated their actions? Where was the Lord fitting in, or was He? Could it be that they had pushed Him aside, and gone after what pleased them instead of Him? Considering their ways could get to honest assessment and reasons, and expose their hearts. He intended to stir them in holy redirection.

When man stays busy working and building and maintaining, sowing and earning and imbibing, circumstances and consequences can be overlooked. In the midst of immediate and urgent, flesh kicks in and heavenly perspective can be lost. We may not see that time and energy spent has been inefficient or wasted and laboring has been in vain. Convoluted by misplaced affections and misdirected priorities, we spend ourselves for what doesn’t last at the expense of what does. (Matthew 16:26)

Do we recognize what drives us? Do we agree with the Lord on what’s important? The Lord entrusts us with agency and resources to plan our days and investments, and grants wisdom to set and keep His priorities. (Isaiah 33:6)

Whose house are we building? Is it our first daily passion to build career, reputation, financial coffers, even family? Is our chief aim to succeed, get ahead, improve, achieve goals, make a difference, or a name? When we feel we’re striving against the wind, or the sky is brass, are we humble enough to admit our errors in judgment? (Deuteronomy 28:15,20-23; Ecclesiastes 4:4)

What will we expend of time, resources, and prayer, to build the Lord’s house instead? How can we better prioritize His mission, commands, and honor? Seeking Him, pursuing His plans, and giving our best to build His kingdom bears eternal fruit and never disappoints. (Ecclesiastes 11:1; Matthew 6:33; Luke 6:38)

Lord, may I keep You my chief desire and priority, Your ways and praise my highest aim.