In the book of Haggai, we encounter a powerful message about starting over and rebuilding after devastation. The Jewish people had returned from 70 years of Babylonian exile, but 18 years later, God's temple remained nothing more than a foundation surrounded by rubble. What was holding them back? Holy procrastination—dressing up inaction in spiritual language—and toxic nostalgia that idealized the past while paralyzing the present. Some remembered Solomon's magnificent temple and couldn't accept this humble new beginning, forgetting they had inherited that glory rather than built it themselves. Meanwhile, they invested in their own comfort while God's house lay in ruins. Through Haggai, God cuts through the excuses with a threefold command: be strong, be strong, be strong—and work. Not when conditions are perfect, not when we have another committee meeting, but now. With this command comes a threefold promise: God is with us, God's covenant remains intact, and the glory of this present house will be greater than the former. This isn't about recreating the past; it's about God creating a future that exceeds what came before. Our second time around doesn't have to be a lesser version—with God, our comeback can be greater than our setback, our restoration can exceed the original, and our latter can be greater than our former.
No comments:
Post a Comment