Pause/Reflect

PAUSE/REFLECT
Haggai 1:2-11
Vs. 7-8: “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,’ says the Lord.”

After there a natural disaster, residents cope, scientists learn, and emergency workers clean up the debris from property damage—as well as restoring human health. This is not new, and with each passing calamity, we try to find ways to avoid the next one. Or at least find ways to alert us of impending catastrophe. But the next devastation always comes—often before we’re ready.

The prophets of the Bible did a similar evaluation after spiritual disasters. They always made record of personal, social, and environmental effects of turning away from the Living God. (Isaiah 1:1-9, Haggai 1:2-11). Haggai urged his neighbors to pay attention to what had just happened. He wanted them to take note of their priorities.

How focused were they on their own comfort, while ignoring their neighbor’s frustration?

Did anyone see how empty their lives were?

If God didn’t care, would He ask us to consider the energy we spend on that which provides us diminishing returns? In other words, too often we spend our time and energy pursuing the wrong stuff.

When will we understand that God is the One who provides for all of our needs?

Jeremy and Brad were unhappy with how Scotty ended their friendship when they confronted him on his lying and cheating. “Do you think he’ll ever understand what we were trying to do?” Jeremy asked Brad one day.

“Well maybe…he’s just too glad to be rid of our meddling right now.”

“I hope he realizes that we’re on his side. He didn’t need to get so defensive.”

“I just hope that we did the right thing.” Brad said.

Do you think that Scotty will stop and consider whether Jeremy and Brad were trying to help him rather than ganging up on him?

Can Scotty be happy under these circumstances? (Refer to116 devotion, “Peace II.”)

Were Jeremy and Brad looking out for the best on Scotty’s behalf?

Take Home Nugget
Our heavenly Father knows each day what grabs our attention. He knows to what degree He’s the center of our lives, how much we concentrate on other things.

When we’re busy living, either during good times or bad, do we pause, and reflect on how our heavenly Father meets our daily needs? Giving God daily thanks fortifies our appreciation for His boundless provisions.

J.D. Griffith

I would live for three, Lord Jesus,
Turning my eyes so that Jesus is all I see,
(So) that the world and all its bounty
May attract no part of me.
When Christ is the center of your interests, life will be in focus.

Graves

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