“BE STRONG!”

Haggai 2:4-9                                        (ESV)
“4 Yet now “BE STRONG”, O Zerubbabel, declares the LORD. “BE STRONG”, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. “BE STRONG”, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. Work, for I AM WITH YOU, declares the LORD OF HOSTS,
5 according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My SPIRIT remains in your midst. FEAR NOT.
6 For thus says the LORD OF HOSTS: Yet once more, IN A LITTLE WHILE, I WILL SHAKE THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA AND THE DRY LAND.
7 And I WILL SHAKE ALL THE NATIONS, so that THE TREASURES OF ALL NATIONS SHALL COME IN, and I WILL FILL THIS HOUSE WITH GLORY, says the LORD OF HOSTS.
8 The SILVER IS MINE, and THE GOLD IS MINE, declares the LORD OF HOSTS.
9 The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD OF HOSTS.'"

Occasionally there are words on my heart that I have a strong impression to write down as I don’t want them to escape my increasingly limited memory.  At the end of the Bible Study class yesterday, the following words were on my heart:: “Don’t let “this world” confuse the issue.  If GOD gives you a task, it doesn’t matter WHAT this world puts in your path!”  I wrote the words on my iPad so that they would contain the message further reflection at the appropriate time.

ALMIGHTY GOD issued orders to Zerubbabel (governor of Judah) through the prophet Haggai.  The CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES was displeased that HIS HOUSE was not being taken care of, while the personal homes were lavishly decorated with up-to-date furnishings.

As I am blessed to continue serving my LORD in “this world”, I cannot help but wonder if I am like the tribe of Judah during the reign of Zerubbabel?  ALMIGHTY GOD has delivered me through several “valley of the shadow of death”, and yet I am mostly concerned with my personal desires, my “selfish” wants!

GOD has already done more for me than HE “owes” me!  Yet I still get caught up in what “this world” will see and not how obedient I am to HIM, being more concerned with HIS PROVISION than HIS PRESENCE!  When will I realize that one day in HIS PRESENCE is worth FAR MORE than SILVER and GOLD, for HE owns IT ALL (Haggai 2:8)!

What does ALMIGHTY GOD see when HE looks at me?  Does HE see someone who will “Don’t let “this world” confuse the issue.  If GOD gives you a task, it doesn’t matter WHAT this world puts in your path?”  Or does HE see someone wanting “this world” SEE a follower of JESUS “BE STRONG”?