Take courage!

DAILY BYTE

If your life feels like a heap of rubble, and the future doesn’t seem any brighter than the past... If you’ve gone through life feeling like you’ve worked hard but have failed to achieve what you hoped – what is the impetus for working more?
Well, we looked yesterday at the prophet Haggai, and it's important for us to recognize that the prophecy is set "In the second year of King Darius, in the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month." It is set in what would have been The Feast of Booths - Sukkot - sometimes called the Festival of Tabernacles. This was the time when Israelites commemorated the dedication of the Temple to God as well as the way God freed them from bondage in Egypt to live in temporary shacks - or booths - as they wandered in the wilderness. Still today, people celebrate Sukkot, setting up temporary tent-like structures in their gardens to remember God's faithfulness and presence with them and to celebrate god’s provision in their lives.

When we feel as though our work and efforts lack meaning, we are reminded by traditions like these that God is with us, whether we’re building a shack or a temple. In fact, as 1 Corinthians 6:19 says, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, and so everything that we build with them and within them is a dwelling place for God - the holiest of holies.

So, when we meet Haggai in scripture, the people of God are supposed to be celebrating God's faithfulness and telling of God’s glory in the temple, but instead we find them grumbling that the remains of the old temple and the beginning efforts to rebuild are not nearly as good as what they had before!

Haggai knows the work of building is daunting. He knows it can be backbreaking and seem pointless for the people who are drawing the plans as well as the labourers hauling the marble. So, he speaks to everyone. He speaks to Zerubbabel, which means "one sewn of Babylon." Son of Shealtiel - which means, "I have asked God." He's speaking to everyone who was exiled, feeling far from God. He's speaking to those who have stayed and cried out to God, asking him to answer their prayers. He's speaking to Joshua, the religious leader of the people. Son of Jehozadak, the high priest of Israel, whose name means, Jehovah is Righteous.

He’s claiming everyone as Jehovah’s – the religious and political leaders and all the day labourers of the land together. Those who wanted to rebuild the temple and people who actively opposed the idea are all included in the prophecy that came through Haggai from God. It was a prophecy that acknowledged that the temple was a mess - that it looked like nothing - that it couldn't compare to what had existed before in the "good old days."

But Haggai doesn't let anyone get away with tossing up their hands and saying, "There's nothing we can do." There's no point rebuilding in this mess. He says instead, God is still speaking, and is saying, "Take courage."

Take courage, Zerubbabel, says the Lord. Take courage, Joshua. Take courage, all you people of the land - insert your name here ____________.

Don't just be courageous and strong but take courage from God. It is being handed to you through the mouth of a prophet. Take that courage and use it for the glory of God to work. "Work, for I am with you, says the Lord of hosts." Through Haggai, God says, I made a promise to you when you came out of Egypt – and I continue to keep it and be faithful. God says, “My spirit abides among you; do not fear.” Even though the building of the temple structure is not yet complete, God says, I live in you.

So that whatever you build, wherever you build it, I am there.

FOCUS TEXT

Haggai 2:4-5 (NRSV)

Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord; take courage, Oh 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.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Faithful God, you have been present with your people in all times and places. Help us to acknowledge your presence with us today. Empower us with your Spirit so that we can work and live for your glory. Amen.