Monday, September 21, 2026

             Haggai is a brief book of prophecy found near the end of the Old Testament.  Only two chapters long, we commonly call Haggai a “minor prophet” because of the brevity of his book.  He addressed his prophecy or his word from the Lord to those Jews who were returning to Israel following the exile in Babylon.  His name means “one who celebrates” or simply “a celebration.”  He prophesied to encourage people to finish the rebuilding of the temple and to restore proper worship and a proper reverence for the Lord who had delivered them back to the land. 
            Twice in chapter one, Haggai wrote the same admonition, “give careful thought to your ways” (1:5, 7).  That six-word command is a good way to start a Monday and a new week.  We should always give careful thought to our ways—primarily the way in which we relate to the Lord and walk with Him.  It can be easy to reduce our faith to an autopilot relationship with God whereby we simply go through the motions—the same old motions that can easily turn into empty habits.  And empty habits can often lead to empty hearts. So, we are challenged by this small prophecy to give careful thought to our ways.  Do we walk with the Lord?  Do we read His Word?  Do we honor Him with the blessings that we have been given by Him?
            As you begin a new week, is there something in your faith that cries out for a new beginning?  Have you allowed some important roles in your life to slip into little more than mere habit?  No one is immune to this.  Jesus gave us a good word in Matthew 6:21 where He said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  We tend to pursue the things that matter to us.  We tend to allocate time and thoughts to those things that we cherish and treasure.  It can be easy for any of us to speak about how God comes first for us.  Yet, when we look at how we have spent our time, thoughts and treasure in a typical week, we find little evidence that is true. 
            In Haggai 2, the prophet again gives us a simple command two times.  The command is “be strong” (twice in 2:4).  We are to be strong in the Lord—not ourselves or our power.  Find your strength in Bible reading, prayer, worship, serving the Lord, obeying the Lord and honoring Him with your tithes.  These activities are called “spiritual disciplines” because they make us stronger in our faith and discipleship.  Just as physical exercise and conditioning can change your health, spiritual disciplines make your heart and spirit stronger.  Take time to cultivate these disciplines into your life and faith.  Reclaim your time from the things that rob you and mislead you.  Today’s smart phone is often one of the biggest thieves of time, energy and rest.  It seems to beckon to our eyes and ears almost ceaselessly.  Maybe make a decision to talk with someone personally rather than bombing them with texts—but that’s a different devotion for another time. However, there is a healthy goodness in relaxed, face-to-face conversations with others rather than just an electronic exchange of information.
            Haggai called his people to rebuild the temple.  The temple was the place where they could faithfully and personally meet with the Lord.  The temple was the place that would ensure that the people would not again fall into idolatry and pagan ways.  Today, we are not rebuilding a temple for ourselves.  If we know Jesus in a saving way, the Holy Spirit lives inside us.  Our very bodies are the temple for the Holy Spirit.  So, today, we want to build our heart, mind and spirit as a place that welcomes and embraces the Lord.  We want to dedicate our time, thoughts and ways to Him.  Give some careful reflection and thought to your ways as you begin a new week.  Think about the doors that you have opened to the Lord or maybe closed to Him.  Incline your heart to Him today.  Have a great Monday!