30 Days with the Word January 26

30 Days with THE WORD
January 26, 2021

John 1:1-2, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God. He (the Word) was in the beginning with God (NKJV).’

Haggai 1:2-9, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house.’” Then the Word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in paneled houses, while this house remains in ruin?” Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but never have enough. You drink but never have your fill. You put on clothes but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” This is what the Lord Almighty says: “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 (NIV).”’

I don’t know about you but this Word of the Lord is pretty straight-forward. I don’t know if there is any mistaken what God spoke generations ago to another people. I also believe that it is a Word He longs to speak to this people today.

When my daughter a handful of years ago first shared this passage of Scripture with me, I was astounded. I had to see it for myself. God didn’t really say that, did He? as I hid my face.

Truth be told, I knew immediately that with the practices of the life I was squandering, my name could have been inserted in those verses; it was me the Lord Almighty was speaking to. And even though my name wasn’t embedded on the page, I knew He was speaking to me in my heart. I would go on to run and hide for the next bit of time but every now and again this Scripture would come to my attention. Every time, I hid the Word again in my heart, not brave enough to acknowledge its relevance for me to be obedient to.

I came to a bend in my road where the only place I had left to look was at His Word. I had worked so hard and yet had nothing much to show for it. The purse carrying any earnings not only had holes in it but was stolen by those I trusted. No matter what ‘feeds’ I fed on in the world, what ‘streams’ I drank from, what ‘threads’ I wrapped in, I remained empty and cold, and at the end of the day, often alone. What I thought was secure and forever was like dandelion dust, gone in a breath. I realized it is easier to take us out of the world but not always easy to get the world out of us, and He knew my tendency to build on fragile foundations, so He had to wipe it all away.

Dear Friend, I am thankful this had to happen. I had to take stock in my actions. I had some business to do with the Lord Almighty. It was time for me to gather the building materials and the tools for His kingdom, to pay Him homage, to create in me a place for Him of pleasure and honor, to yield to Him a sacrifice of praise so that others desperately living without Him could have a haven to find Him in and call home, to offer Him all that I am for His glory, no longer for my own benefit but for His. I am so grateful that He took it all away so I would be vulnerable and honest and real, so I could find myself truly His. I hope you know Him just this way, but if not, He is wanting you to build Him His own space within you.