1 on the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: 2 “Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them, 3 ‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? 4 But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 5 ‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’ 6 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty. 8 ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 9 ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” (Haggai 2:1 – 9, New International Version)
Theme: The Wisdom of Discipline
Title: Discipline and Discouragement
Reflection:
Sometimes, despite our disciplined best efforts the outcome appears to be disappointing. How do we deal with the inevitable sense of discouragement? Our Scripture passage today provides an uplifting perspective on this topic.
In the book of Haggai, the Israelites returned from exile to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. After about a month of work it was clear that the new temple was inferior to the original temple (“Does it not seem to you like nothing?”). This certainly was discouraging to the workers. In response, God provides some encouraging words through the prophet Haggai, including the following:
- Be strong.
- I am with you.
- Do not fear.
- The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house.
God made these declarations consistent with His covenant with the Children of Israel, and He reminds them that He has all the resources they need.
Conclusion:
When we can’t see positive outcomes despite our disciplined efforts, it is easy to be discouraged. However, we can rest assure that when our activities are aligned with God’s priorities a glorious outcome is guaranteed. When you don’t see the results from your disciplined efforts, how do you counter discouragement? I would love to hear from you.
Contributor: Norman Christie