Going back to the building
Scripture:
Haggai 1:12-15
12 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son
of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of God’s people began to
obey the message from the Lord
their God. When they heard the words of the prophet Haggai, whom the Lord their God had sent, the people
feared the Lord. 13 Then
Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave
the people this message from the Lord:
“I am with you, says the Lord!”
14 So the Lord sparked the enthusiasm of
Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the enthusiasm of Jeshua
son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the enthusiasm of the whole remnant of
God’s people. They began to work on the house of their God, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, 15 on
September 21 of the second year of King Darius’s reign. [1]
Devotion:
The Jerusalem temple lay
in ruins for many years. The people had been carried away to Babylon and the
land had become a desolation. Eventually the Persians took over Babylon’s
kingdom and allowed the exiles to return. Some of the people did return and
worked to rebuild their lives. But the once glorious temple remained in ruins
as the people rebuilt their homes and businesses. Under Ezra and Nehemiah, the
wall around the city was rebuilt, but it was not until a virtually unknown
prophet named Haggai appeared and delivered the word of the Lord that the
temple should be rebuilt did anyone pay any attention to the temple.
Now Haggai must have
been a convincing man because the people of Israel actually took him seriously
and began to rebuild the temple. The people had a bad habit of ignoring the
prophets even when calamity hit them as a result of their disobedience.
What value does
Haggai’s prophesy have for us today you may ask? The church has been in the
same shape as ancient Israel these past few months. While we have not been
carried off to exile, we have been locked in our homes and those of us who are
lucky enough to have high speed internet have been able to worship online. Those
without internet were left behind. It is just not the same as being present in
person. Now our churches can begin to slowly open our doors to in person
worship.
We must begin to rebuild our fellowship with each
other. We must worship God as if our lives depended on it because they do. Whatever
God’s purposes might have been in allowing this pandemic, it is up to us to
carry the word of peace and healing to our world. While staying within the
guidelines set forth by the government. We need to be at worship for each
other.
God is calling us as he called the Israelites to
worship him as a people. Our churches should be as full as allowable to prevent
transmission of the virus. God is tugging at the heart strings of his people to
gather us from our self-imposed exile. His Holy Spirit is moving in his people
to come back stronger than when we left to lift the name of Jesus up in
worship.
Let us pray:
O Lord move in us during this time
to share your Gospel message of salvation and love for all creation. Protect us
from this virus that is in our midst as we worship you. Bring us together as
one people of God called by the Holy Spirit to advance your kingdom here on
earth. Forgive us if we have become lax in our worship of you during this time.
Ignite in us a fire for your kingdom and let us bring a healing balm to this
world that so desperately needs it.
[1]
Tyndale House Publishers, Holy Bible: New
Living Translation (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers,
2015), Hag 1:12–15.
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