This post is Day 4 in a series of studies about “Haggai”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Haggai – Day 4

The Israelites had been settled for about 16 years and were very happy to be finished with living in exile. At their return they had begun to rebuild the temple, but then had become distracted by their own needs, and not got round to finishing the house for The Lord.

Haggai 1:5-6

Now this is what The Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

The Thought

Think today about what your reaction would be if God said to you Give careful thought to your ways. It certainly sounds like the beginning of a reprimand, but need not be. It is good for all of us to think from time to time about things in every day life, and ask ourselves why we do what we do, and the way we do it.

For many of us, we would say “Well I’ve always done things that way!” or “That’s the way my parents did it, if it worked for them, it will work for me!”

For the situation in Haggai’s day, the Israelites had been settled in their home land for about 16 years and were very happy to be finished with living in exile in Babylon. At their return they had begun to rebuild the temple, but then had become distracted by their own needs, and not got round to finishing the house for The Lord. Consequently God was touching them where it hurts; their finances!

Action

Consider today your financial situation. Maybe you are very generous, or maybe there are reasons you don’t give too much. It is sometimes good to rethink these things.

Maybe we shouldn’t think about it too much, but just pray about it more.

What is God saying to you about where you should give and how much? Not just in finance, but in time and energy too?

Read and meditate on Luke 6:38.

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