... "Give Careful Thought to Your Ways!"

Such was the command to the nation of Israel through the prophet Haggai (Read 1:3-15). In context, God was convicting the people for their selfish orientation, their apathy toward Him and their vain social and economic priorities. They responded in obedience and “in the fear of the Lord.” The passage applies as much today as it did to Israel after they had grown indifferent to the rebuilding of the temple.

We live in a “Christian-Lite” age, with priorities often self-oriented and divorced from biblical content even among Christians. We tend to worry more about how our faith can meet our “felt-needs,” grow our self-esteem or enhance our image before others, rather than how we can grow in obedience and in glorifying our Lord. In fact, we are often indifferent toward the Bible’s priority to know our God, walk in loving obedience to His decrees and love Him with all our minds—and to “be transformed by the renewing of our minds!”

Haggai reminds us of the importance to grow our minds—to increase our knowledge, thinking and reflection…to grow in wisdom and sharpen our conscience before a holy God—through the provision given and mediated by the Word of God. As the Psalmist prays (Ps 90:12),“So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Let us consider our ways and take up and read!

(First published in Dei Light April 2005)