Verse of the Day 10/4

Verse of the Day 10/4

Haggai 1:5-6   Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. ⁶ You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.   English Standard Version (ESV)

My Old Testament reading this morning brought me to the short book of the prophet Haggai.  The book is a call to remember God and to put things in order in their lives and in their worship.  They were living the life of luxury but forgetting to show concern for worshiping the God who provided all that they had.

We're all familiar with the phrase "first things first"; it is about priorities.  If you don't take care of the "big things", the important things first, whether at work or in our devotional or prayer life, there are tons of little things that will take up our time, efforts and resources that the big, important things don't get done and aren't addressed.

C.S. Lewis wrote, "You can't get second things by putting them first; you can get second things only by putting first things first" (God in the Dock). Wise advice about setting priorities. Unfortunately, it's easy to focus on second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth "things" instead."

The call still goes out to us modern day Christians as much as to those in ancient Israel - "consider your ways".   Are you spending time in God's Word and in prayer?  Is He guiding your life through it or has your spiritual life fallen into disrepair as the temple had in Israel.

How often have we felt like our pockets, our many bags or bank accounts have holes in them.  We earn money but there never seems to be enough.  Consider your ways, how you spend your time and  money.  Take care to set priorities, putting "first things first", and it starts with time with God.

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Haggai 1:4-10 New Living Translation (NLT)

⁴ "Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins?⁵ This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies says: Look at what's happening to you! ⁶ You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!

⁷ "This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies says: Look at what's happening to you! ⁸ Now go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house. Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored, says the Lord. ⁹ You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor. And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away. Why? Because my house lies in ruins, says the Lord of Heaven's Armies, while all of you are busy building your own fine houses. ¹⁰ It's because of you that the heavens withhold the dew and the earth produces no crops.