In the Old Testament Book of Haggai, the Lord spoke to the leaders of Israel and the people. He calls them to consider their ways. The people had returned from exile in Babylon, where they had been for seventy years.
They had returned to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. They had been given all they needed to rebuild. They even started to rebuild. But when opposition came, they stopped building.
They started to build their own beautiful houses but never worked on building the place where God would dwell with His people—the place where the glory of God would be on full display.
The Lord called to the leaders and the Israelites for them to return to His ways, to consider who God is, and to obey His plans for their lives.
The leaders and people obeyed God. They returned to building the Temple that God would dwell in. They were blessed, and their governor was used as a pointer to our Savior, Jesus Christ. Zerubbabel, the governor at that time, was in the genealogy of Jesus.
All this got me thinking of God building His temple and dwelling in His people today.
Jesus went to the cross for me. He died, defeating sin. He rose, and death is no more. When we put our faith in Him as Lord and Savior, the Spirit of God makes His home in us.
How is that accomplished and maintained? Do we allow the Spirit to build a solid foundation, but then, through our disobedience, stop
God’s glory from showing others His love and salvation through us?
Let us heed the call that Haggai told the people long ago Consider your ways. Let us stop and seek God's kingdom and His righteousness in our lives.
Let us wash at the cross and repent of our sins. Let us listen to and walk by the Holy Spirit of God, who lives in us.
Let us fight in the power given to us to say no to all sins and temptations that come our way.
Let us keep ourselves pure before God through His power.
Let the Spirit build in us a strong foundation based on Christ’s sacrifice for us on the cross. Let us live each day saying yes to God’s perfect plan for our lives. In doing this, the Temple of God, which is inside us, will be where God wants to dwell. We will be a place for His glory to shine out for all to see.
Scripture used: Haggai 1:1-2:23, Romans 5:1-21, Matthew 6:33, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, and 1 Peter 2:5