Sluggish Saints

Haggai, whose name means "a feast", was sent of God to awaken His people.  The temple was suppose to be the work at hand, and it's rebuilding had been delayed.  Matthew Poole describes the audience to whom Haggai was to speak: "through the covetousness of many, the coldness of some, and the cowardice of others among the Jews, who were all bent on their own private concern..."  Also, he says, "and who in all probability would have deferred it much longer had they been let alone."  My post today should be entitled "Ouch".  It sounds way too much like the church today.  But  in all reality, when thinking about God's glory, even saying "ouch" is way too minimal a reaction to such an observance of our own neglect and laziness.

What are we, as Christians, learning about ourselves in this very short span of a wake-up call from God?  One young woman observed, "We are spoiled."  Why are we whining about inconvenience of quarantine when in reality we are "safe at home", she said.   Poole writes, and we need to listen to this for ourselves: "...the Lord doth, in zeal for His own glory, and in mercy to His people, send His servant, Haggai to awaken them to their duty, which was this, the building of the temple and restoring the pure worship of God."  As the young woman mentioned, "we are spoiled" and as Poole said, "all bent on their own private concern."  We need to be thinking, praying and changing our views of God.  We need to repent of sloth and meditate much on God and His glory!  That is the purpose of the church: Worship.  From that grows adoration, obedience and fruit.

Mr. Poole says that Haggai was sent to "awaken the drowsy Jews...who seemed to long for a temple when they were in Babylon."  Are we seeking God more now than before?  Is that not a wonderful effect of this virus?  Will our desire continue after the quarantine is over and threat of life subsides a bit?  We've seen it many times in the past, where conflict seems to bring some "God-talk" for a moment.  The Jews in captivity longed to worship God again but when they were freed to go home, they delayed what should have been first priority.  That, too, should cause us pain as Christians.  "Ouch" is far too light an affliction.  We should experience an intensely sick, nausea in the pit of our stomachs with guilt and regret as we discover how lifeless, indeed, are our spiritual lives.

Maybe it's just me that needs to constantly repent and call on God for change.  But I truly want to learn through this trial, no matter how long it takes.  I do not want to be the same whiny, selfish, and "spoiled" child after this is over.  To be continued....