I did not go to seminary for training to discern the voice of God. But at some stage in my youth, I made a quality decision to seek wisdom. I had many questions I could not find answers to in this world: why am I born the person that I am; why are my parents struggling to bring food on the table; what is my purpose in life; is there any hope at all for a good future here on earth and beyond, etc?
One day, the practical nature of my questions forced me on an unwanted but finally very rewarding journey. I simply read the bible from Genesis to Revelation – of course, not in one sitting.
I learnt so many lessons for everyday life as well as heavenly things and now He has chosen me to share His wisdom with others.
Today as you read this devotional and the Book of Haggai know this thing, God is very practical as well as spiritual.
Since I am a human being and still alive I understand that God wants me to be here on earth. He has given me a specific geographic location for me to live (Acts 17 vs 25) and He has called me to bear lasting (heavenly) fruit (John 15 vs 16). However in the book of Haggai He also reveals that He has given us our own personal dreams. We want this and that, we want to go to such and such a place, we have dreams for the very best for our children, we have dreams to go to college and to find a good job, house, husband or wife. These things sound very practical, earthly and humanly to me and I cannot pretend they are not needed.
Well if you have such dreams, Jesus has already said elsewhere we need to seek the Kingdom of God first and all these things will be added unto us. And what does He say through the Book of Haggai? – if you want your dreams to come true, make My dreams come true first.
And then a little later, God-of-the-Angel-Armies spoke out again:
"Take a good, hard look at your life. Think it over. You have spent a lot of money, but you haven't much to show for it. You keep filling your plates, but you never get filled up.
You keep drinking and drinking and drinking, but you're always thirsty. You put on layer after layer of clothes, but you can't get warm. And the people who work for you, what are they getting out of it? Not much— a leaky, rusted-out bucket, that's what.
That's why God-of-the-Angel-Armies said:
"Take a good, hard look at your life. Think it over." Then God said: "Here's what I want you to do: Climb into the hills and cut some timber. Bring it down and rebuild the Temple.
Do it just for me. Honor me. You've had great ambitions for yourselves, but nothing has come of it. The little you have brought to my Temple I've blown away—there was nothing to it.
"And why?" (This is a Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, remember.) "Because while you've run around, caught up with taking care of your own houses, my Home is in ruins. That's why. Because of your stinginess….." Haggai 1:5 –11 [The Message]
No wonder governments and money markets are being shaken in our generation. We seem to have forgotten that all the "silver and gold" we work hard for belongs to God. (Haggai 2 vs 8, 21 – 23: The Message)
As you put your priorities right today don't be discouraged. In the last verses of the Book of Haggai God says when you see this "shaking" taking place and you are obedient then be on the look out for His honour and blessings.
Farai Mutsambiwa
Read the Bible in a year: Proverbs 29:19-27; Haggai 1:1-2:23; 2 John 1-13
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