“Thus speaks the Lord of hosts, saying: ‘This people says, “The time has not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built”’” (Haggai 1:2).
Mark was tired of his life of sin. He had wandered away from the church of his youth because he did not see any transforming power in it. On this particular autumn day, he was in the mountains at a youth conference, trying to find his way back to God. As he sat in the back of a packed auditorium, he was shocked to hear the preacher speak about the very things that had disturbed him.
“I’ve heard people say,” the preacher began, ‘I will serve God once I graduate from college,’ or then ‘I will do something great for God after I get my career going,’ or ‘I will serve God after I get married,’ yet they often go through their whole lives never do anything for God!” As he thought about it, Mark realized that he needed to do things differently. At the end of the weekend, he knelt down and wept, telling God he would stop delaying his service to Him.
The prophet Haggai was called to address a nation that was full of hesitation. They had “panelled houses” and yet they were delaying to rebuild the temple (Haggai 1:2, 4). All of their hard work had brought back meagre results because their priorities were wrong (verse 6). This was not the best news, and Haggai had to give this message and risk being unpopular, as had most of the prophets who had gone before him.
Yet Haggai was also to bring a message of encouragement. He would join all the previous prophets in conveying the promise of God’s abiding presence (Haggai 2:5). Even though this new temple would be much smaller than Solomon’s temple, it would be more glorious because the Messiah would be there (Haggai 2:7).
Father, cleanse me from all procrastination and hesitation in my service of love to You.
