Priorities

At church the last few weeks we've been studying the book of Haggai. Talk about hidden gem! I'd never read it until a few weeks ago, and it's a short book, only 2 chapters. Since most of my reading is done in the bathroom these days, this is the perfect length.

Haggai is all about priorities. God provided timber for his people to build His house, and what did they do with it? Built their own houses instead. For years. By the time the book ends, after a short period of time of Haggai speaking ot God's people they reprioritized and started building the Lord's temple.

How often does God provide what we need to serve him, and we serve ourselves instead. Take finances for example....how many times have I been careless with this resource when it could have furthered God's kingdom? Hello conviction! "This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: Think about what you have done. You have planted much but you harvest little. You eat, but you do not become full. You drink, but you are still thirsty. You put on clothes, but you are not warm enough. You earn money but then you lose it all as if you had put it into a purse full of holes." (Haggai 1:5-6)

Here's what my heart hears...."you have three sweet little souls that long to be filled with love, taught My truth, and played with lovingly each day yet you sit at the computer, or choose vacuuming instead of story time. You take things of this world to fill your time and yet at the end of the day you wonder why you feel frustrated and unfulfilled. You do not drink my Living Water, you choose to drink from a filthy stream that only muddies your heart. You take the abundant resources I have given you, with which you could do much for my kingdom and waste it at the Target dollar section." Ouch.

The verse Romans 7:15 comes to mind, Paul writes "I don't understand myself, for I want to do what's right, but I don't. Instead I do what I hate." (NLT)

In Haggai the people starting building the temple and the Lord said he would bless their crops, the fruit of their labors.

When our priorities are in order, the Lord blesses. When they are not we toil and labor in vain. Nothing should come before the Lord. I need to set aside my personal desires, my selfishness with my time and energy, my waste of God's resources and put God's kingdom first.

Reprioritize.