Today’s Reading: Haggai 2, Psalm 48
Return, rebuild, RENEW, repent.
Return to me. Come to me. Pursue my ways for I have redeemed you.
Rebuild my house. Create space in your life to worship me. Be satisfied with me.
Renew your passion. Be strong in the Lord. Trust me. I will provide.
You are getting what you deserve, but here’s how to deserve what you wish you were getting — Return to me and I will return to you. This is essentially what God was saying. God desired to lavish wonderful gifts on His children but He needed to get their attention because His intent was not only that they return to their land, His intent was that they return to Him. He wanted them to RETURN and REBUILD so that He could RENEW His relationship with them.
“Does anyone remember this house—this Temple—in its former splendor? How, in comparison, does it look to you now? It must seem like nothing at all! But now the Lord says: Be strong, Zerubbabel. Be strong, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people still left in the land. And now get to work, for I am with you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid.” – Haggai 2:3-5
I am here. My Spirit remains among you, so do not be afraid but pursue the calling I have placed on your life. Do not hesitate but follow me with strength and with zeal. Let your love for me ignite a passion within you to serve me.
Renew your passion. Be strong in the Lord. Trust me. I will provide.
The people began to fear the Lord and a new enthusiasm for building the Temple was ignited in their hearts. They finished the Temple but realized that the new Temple was nowhere close to the splendor of the previous Temple. God reminded them that He is the keeper of the silver and the gold (2:8). He promised them that a day would come when He would restore glory to His Temple beyond its past glory, just like He was restoring their hearts and igniting a passion within them.
Passion for your house has consumed me… – Psalm 69:9a
O God, we meditate on your unfailing love
as we worship in your Temple.
As your name deserves, O God,
you will be praised to the ends of the earth.
Your strong right hand is filled with victory.
Let the people on Mount Zion rejoice.
Let all the towns of Judah be glad
because of your justice.
Go, inspect the city of Jerusalem.
Walk around and count the many towers.
Take note of the fortified walls,
and tour all the citadels,
that you may describe them
to future generations.
For that is what God is like.
He is our God forever and ever,
and he will guide us until we die. – Psalm 48:9-14
Praise God! I am so thankful that our God desires a relationship with us. I am so grateful for His grace that renews a right spirit within us. We are so blessed to experience His Spirit living with us, who is producing a passion for the things of God. God is so good and we are blessed to be loved by Him.
As we enter a new season of life, let’s allow God to ignite a new flame inside of us and give us a new fervor for receiving all that He has for us. Let’s pursue His purposes in the midst of the chaos; let’s chase after our calling knowing that He is our God forever and ever, and we can trust Him to provide.
Renew your passion. Be strong in the Lord. Trust me. I will provide.