Living in the Spirit

October 31, 2022

Scripture Reading: Haggai 1:15b-2:9

In the second year of King Darius, in the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai, saying: Speak now to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, and say, Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Is it not in your sight as nothing? Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the Lord; work, for I am with you, says the Lord of hosts, according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear. For thus says the Lord of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of hosts. The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the Lord of hosts. –Haggai 2:1-9

I just watched on the news people from neighborhoods in Florida who did not experience as much damage in the hurricane as other bringing the simple necessities of life to the ruined areas. Diapers and toothpaste and all kinds of things we take for granted were welcomed with tears. That news helped me understand how the people of Israel may have felt when they returned to a ruined Jerusalem. The messages scattered through this scripture applied to those returning from exile apply to us today–take courage, work for God is with you, and do not fear. While it was not in the above scripture it is in scripture: love your neighbor as you love yourself as the neighbors in Florida did. (Leviticus 19:17-18, Mark 12:31)

Prayer: Lord, help us be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves*. Amen.

*James 1:22

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.