Consider Your Ways
Submitted by Ted Mock
November 6, 2024
Hag 1:5 Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
Hag 1:7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
In the short book of Haggai, in just the first few verses, God twice tells His people to “Consider your ways.” Any time the Lord says something once, that is all we need, but when He repeats Himself, I believe we should take special note.
In the second chapter, God again tells His people to consider, and again repeats this command. As I came to this book in my daily Bible reading, it caused me to stop and consider some things.
First, when in chapter one, if God withheld His blessings because they put building their houses ahead of building God’s house, what does He think of how we neglect His house, the church, today?
We have fine buildings, but many are not faithful to attend, much less go out and bring more in to hear the gospel. It reminds me of what the Lord said about the church in Laodicea in Revelation. They saw themselves as rich and in need of nothing, but God saw them as poor and blind.
It caused me to consider, how does God view the church today?
Consider in the second chapter, verses five through nine. If God says, “I will” five times, why do we say we can do things, or even think we can, without Him? In John chapter fifteen, Jesus said, “Without me, ye can do nothing.”
Should we not consider just how much we need the Lord?
In the closing verses of the book, the Lord says that He is in control of world events. That caused me to consider, Why do we act as if God has lost control or does not care about our world?
In the garden Jesus prayed, “Nevertheless, thy will be done.” It should be His will, not mine, in all things. Consider this, do you want God’s will, or do you want your will?
Consider – Oh Lord, take my will and give me a heart for Your will!