Corona Devo 3186
Do we feel unsatisfied today? Unfulfilled?
Perhaps we are not fully focusing on the Lord and His agenda, and we have gotten off-(His)-course, and we've been too much on ours.
Except--there's no full-fillment in our efforts-for-self, just full-attempts without full-fruition.
Perhaps the Lord is telling (disciplining) us through his Word today to "switch the field".
In soccer, when a player "switches the field", it means that they make a long pass or place a big-kicked-ball across the field and thus, they move the action/play/center/pressure from one place (side) of the field into an entirely (and opposite) new one, often where far fewer players are. They "switch the field", and hopefully find the feet of one of their teammates for a breakaway to the goal!
The Lord speaks to the prophet Haggai, and God basically tells Haggai to tell the people of Israel (God's people), and their leaders that they have gotten off track in honoring Him.
They have been honoring themselves, namely in their luxurious homes and living spaces, and yet they have not felt any (faith) obligation to rebuild God's temple. But God tells Haggai to tell them that it is time to switch the field...in order to honor God by honoring His temple.
On August 29 of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the Lord gave a message through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest.
(2) “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The people are saying, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.’”
(3) Then the Lord sent this message through the prophet Haggai: (4) “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins? ~Haggai 1:1-3
Switching the field in soccer gives cornered players an "out", and provides opposite and open players with (often uncontested) opportunities with the ball.
Switching the field is a good thing, and I believe in Haggai Chapter 1, the Lord is calling for us to switch the field to Him and His desires/goals/efforts instead of ours.
The people were living-for and pleasing themselves, and because of their self-focus instead of God-focus, the Lord could not bless their efforts or them.
Perhaps it's too-much-our-plan, and not-enough-God's-plan. It's time to switch the field from our will to God's will.
(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. (11) I have called for a drought on your fields and hills—a drought to wither the grain and grapes and olive trees and all your other crops, a drought to starve you and your livestock and to ruin everything you have worked so hard to get.” ~Haggai 1:5-11
In Haggai's day, the temple of the Lord needed rebuilt, and God's people told themselves that it was not a priority. Their desires had become their temple.
Are we not living up to our full potential in Christ because of us? Have our goals and desires and even good intentions become our temple...instead of God and honoring Him?
Switch the field today, in our minds and in our thinking...but more importantly, switch the field today in our hearts to the Lord.
Let's sit with God today and read His Word and be changed by it. He's asking us to switch the field from us to Him.
What does that mean for you? What does that mean for me?
Make the long pass for our Lord today. Separate from the crowds and get alone with Him and see what He says to our heart when we do.
Let's move the action/play/center/pressure from our goals to God's. And may the Lord spark the enthusiasm of you and me...to serve and honor Him in new and breakaway ways.
Haggai's message from the Lord touched the hearts of those hearing it. They switched the field and they repented and refocused on God. We can too!
Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of God’s people began to obey the message from the Lord their God. When they heard the words of the prophet Haggai, whom the Lord their God had sent, the people feared the Lord.
(13) Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave the people this message from the Lord: “I am with you, says the Lord!”
(14) So the Lord sparked the enthusiasm of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the enthusiasm of Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the enthusiasm of the whole remnant of God’s people. They began to work on the house of their God, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, (15) on September 21 of the second year of King Darius’s reign. ~Haggai 1:12-15
We can (and will) get off of God's track, but He can (and will-if we let Him) switch the field and get us back on
Let's switch the field for our Heavenly Father today--whatever that means to each of us, and we can ask God to clarify it for us.
May God's Word (and wisdom) spark the enthusiasm of us. Let's rebuild His temple within our own hearts today. Let's switch the field for Jesus!
Comments
Post a Comment