WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.900
Day 264, or September the 21st. Trust God now,

00:00:06.240 --> 00:00:10.259
and get on with it. Our thoughts today are from

00:00:10.259 --> 00:00:14.759
Haggai, chapter 2, verse 4. But now be strong,

00:00:14.980 --> 00:00:18.679
Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, Joshua,

00:00:19.160 --> 00:00:22.960
son of Josedach the high priest. Be strong, all

00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:26.000
you people of the land, declares the Lord, and

00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:30.199
work, for I am with you. declares the Lord Almighty.

00:00:32.100 --> 00:00:36.380
And now the big picture surrounding this verse. Haggai

00:00:36.380 --> 00:00:38.840
is one of the prophets who works with the leaders

00:00:38.840 --> 00:00:42.020
and people who return to the promised land. Their

00:00:42.020 --> 00:00:45.799
priorities are spot on. Rebuild the temple first.

00:00:46.159 --> 00:00:49.600
It's a struggle, and Haggai has to warn them

00:00:49.600 --> 00:00:52.600
to stop working on their own houses and get on

00:00:52.600 --> 00:00:55.960
with God's house. He constantly challenges them

00:00:55.960 --> 00:00:59.219
to think things through. He doesn't demand blind

00:00:59.219 --> 00:01:02.939
obedience, but thoughtful cooperation and joint

00:01:02.939 --> 00:01:06.859
effort in this vital project. Sadly, the temple

00:01:06.859 --> 00:01:09.739
turns out to be a poor imitation of Solomon's

00:01:09.739 --> 00:01:12.980
temple. It took Solomon seven years to build

00:01:12.980 --> 00:01:16.000
the first one, but it took more than twice that

00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:22.400
time to rebuild it. And now, our action step

00:01:22.400 --> 00:01:26.040
for today. The task of rebuilding the temple

00:01:26.040 --> 00:01:29.319
after returning from exile in Babylonia is a

00:01:29.319 --> 00:01:33.239
massive one. It is entrusted to a band of select

00:01:33.239 --> 00:01:35.959
people, but they are not left to do it alone.

00:01:36.260 --> 00:01:39.980
God promises he will be with them. The Bible

00:01:39.980 --> 00:01:43.260
says, trust God first, then work in his strength.

00:01:43.719 --> 00:01:47.340
Too often, we do the work in order to get things

00:01:47.340 --> 00:01:50.239
done, hoping that God will strengthen us as we

00:01:50.239 --> 00:01:53.140
labour in his work. It's the wrong way around.

00:01:53.709 --> 00:01:56.930
Notice also that they are urged by God to be

00:01:56.930 --> 00:02:01.049
strong now, not later, but now. All of us who

00:02:01.049 --> 00:02:03.849
are believers have something that God wants us

00:02:03.849 --> 00:02:06.430
to do, but make sure you get the order right.

00:02:06.510 --> 00:02:10.490
Trust Him first and be strong. Then do the work,

00:02:10.629 --> 00:02:13.409
knowing that God will be with you to honour your

00:02:13.409 --> 00:02:17.050
efforts for Him. Don't mix up trusting God and

00:02:17.050 --> 00:02:20.129
having confidence, because confidence is usually

00:02:20.129 --> 00:02:23.560
rooted in self, not God. I believe it's good

00:02:23.560 --> 00:02:26.659
to be nervous when you're about God's work. It

00:02:26.659 --> 00:02:29.560
helps you trust Him more. Start at the beginning

00:02:29.560 --> 00:02:32.659
and trust Him now for whatever He has planned

00:02:32.659 --> 00:02:35.319
for you. Then, just do it.