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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 5 of 5
Haggai 1:1-15
The book of Ezra tells us how, on their return from Babylon, Zerubbabel and his companions undertook the reconstruction of the temple; then they allowed themselves to be stopped in their work by the threatening manoeuvres and intervention of their enemies.
Twelve years have now passed since the work had stopped. These threats are now only a poor pretext, of which the prophet does not even speak. He shames the people by comparing the ruined condition of the house of the LORD with the enthusiasm shown by each one in improving his own dwelling house (Philippians 2:21). What sad selfishness, but also what bad planning! All their labour had produced only famine (cf. Psalms 127:1-2). Dear Christian friends, today is "the time to build" the house of God . . . the church of the living God (1 Timothy 3:15). How can we do this? By being occupied with souls, these "living stones" built on the foundation which is Jesus Christ; by having the same tender care for the assembly as that which was laid on the apostle’s heart every day; by not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together (1 Corinthians 3:10-17; 2 Corinthians 11:28; Hebrews 10:25). Alas, how often lack of zeal and of love for the assembly goes hand in hand with concern for our own comfort . . . Yes, let us consider our ways (vv. 5, 7).
