“This is what the Lord Almighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house.'” (Haggai 1:2 NIV)
Last night we spent the evening with local pastors. Together, we broke bread and bared our hearts; 2022 is a tough time to lead God’s people. Together, we lamented the far and wide lethargy we’ve witnessed. The church as a whole is distracted, distant and distraught. A global pandemic plus isolation plus rapid inflation has sent many folks into personal tailspins and the body of Christ is limping along severely dismembered. It’s deeply disappointing because didn’t have to be this way. We could have buckled down in trauma of 2020. We could have recommitted to Christ and spent our solitude in His word and presence, pursuing His will for the post-pandemic world. It seems very few did.
Last night, our little dinner party ended in prayer, the Spirit moved and we each parted ways refreshed. God is still on the throne. He still has a plan for His people. He is never surprised by our infidelities, He has long ago factored our mistakes into His story. It is never too late to say ‘yes’ to God, unless, of course, we’ve run out of breath.
This morning I found myself in Haggai of all places. There are notes in the margins, I’d been there before, but today it hit different. See, the people of God had come back to Israel. In a series of miracles, God had moved on King Darius’ heart to replant the Israelites in their native soil. They had remarkably returned to the Promised Land but they had prioritized themselves instead of the Kingdom. In the first few verses, we see they’d been building houses, planting crops, eating and drinking and having the time of their lives. Meanwhile, the Temple was in total disrepair from the war before their exile.
Isn’t this our post-pandemic church? We ‘took a break’ from gathering corporately and many haven’t returned to the building. Those that came home seem to be scarcely committed. We are more interested in building houses and careers and memories and instagram-able lives.
Meanwhile, the church lies in ruins. Rob and I keep a shared list on our phones. I don’t need to consult it to recall the cracks in the plaster or the stained glass sagging from it’s leaden seams. Though we’ve made significant progress in the 375 days we’ve served here, dozens of tasks remain undone. The unchecked boxes involve money and man-power that our rural church is still lacking.
In Haggai, God wasn’t having it. He straight-up told His people; “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses while this house remains a ruin?” (Haggai 1:4) and then He speaks words that send chills down my spine. “Give careful thought to your ways.” (Haggai 1:5)
God goes on to tell His people that their self-serving efforts will return void. They will toil in the fields, but the crops will be sparse. They’ll indulge in food and drink but their appetites will never be satisfied. They’ll own closets full of clothes, but never feel warm. They will earn wages, but the money will slip through their fingers. God even tells them, He has intentionally sent a drought – a season where they won’t help but to turn their attentions back to Him.
My friend, isn’t this the very world we are living in? We have access to so much, but it’s never enough. We work longer and harder, but the price for getting by is rising faster than we can keep up. Here in South Texas, we are only preheating for summer and already temperature records have been broken. Nationally, the Feds tell us inflation will keep rising and recession is imminent. We are headed toward a drought if we aren’t already in the first throws. God is getting our attention, is He not? Our self-serving existence is no longer producing what we were after.
God woke up His people a couple thousand years ago and I’m praying He’ll rouse us again. He had instructions for them and He has instructions for us:
“Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build My house so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored, ” says the Lord. “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty “Because of My house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house.”” (Haggai 1:7-9 NIV)
We’ve been busy about ourselves, but it seems that God is about to let all that dry up. Instead, He asks that we would get to work building His Kingdom. I read the instructions to go up into the mountains and I can see strain in those words. Rebuilding the church will not be easy. This isn’t light labor. God expects sweat equity. He’s wanting us to work to build His kingdom. Why? Work builds character. Work builds camaraderie. Work builds self-worth.
We’ve already proven, we are willing to work for what we want. We work for houses and cars and boats and businesses. We might even be willing to work at our health and fitness. We’ll work to build families and careers and personal legacies. But will we work for God? To build His house? To build His Kingdom?
Before you unsubscribe from this blog, let me encourage you. There is hope. Amidst dire conditions, speaking through His prophet, God got His people’s attention again.
“They obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the Lord their God had sent Him. And the people feared the Lord.” (Haggai 1:12 NIV)
Friend, it is never too late to obey. If we still have breath, we still posses opportunity. These lethargic people woke up. They recognized the word of God coming through their prophet-pastor and they changed their direction. They obeyed the Lord’s instructions and they got to work because they feared God. But wait, there’s more:
“Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave this message of the Lord to the people: “I am with you,” declares the Lord.” (Haggai 1:13 NIV)
When God calls us to hard or seemingly impossible things, He agrees to go with us. He equips us by His Spirit. We will never build the Kingdom alone.
Be encouraged, my friend. Return to church. Not just in body; warming a pew or writing a check, but get in there and get your hands dirty. Climb the mountain and fell the trees. Strain those muscles; build the character, camaraderie and self-worth that has been absent from your existence. Seek out your pastor, encourage him or her. Call a friend and get them to come with you this week. Look for ways to grow and serve and find the things that have eluded you thus far. Get busy about the great commandment and the great commission and start living a far larger life for the sake of the Kingdom.
Lord, today we repent of our half-hearted return to the land You’ve graciously given us. We repent of inward living. We have tended to our own houses whilst Yours has lain in disrepair. Please forgive us. How loving of You to bring it to our attention and give us time to attend to this need. Rile us up, Lord. Discomfort us from our selfish ways. Wake us up and get us going. Give us strength and vigor for the big tasks at hand. May we work like it depends on us and pray like it depends on You. Build Your Kingdom here, Lord. And begin in us. Amen.