Today's pasage is Ezra 5:1-5. The prophets Haggai and Zechariah spoke God's word to governor Zerubbabel and high priest Jeshua, telling them to rebuild the temple. Once again they ran into opposition, the governor of the Trans-Euphrates demanding to know who authorized the building, but because God's eyes were on them the construction did not stop.
In chapter 4 we saw how the enemies of Judah and Benjamin were rebuffed from helping to build the temple.
They then worked against the Israelites through the reigns of Cyrus, Xerxes and Artaxerxes to that of Darius.
An infamous letter to Artaxerxes resulted in the king ordering the rebuilding to stop.
In the Book of Haggai, the prophet Haggai stirs up the Israelites, repeating the sentence "Give careful thought to your ways" to get them to see how frustrated their lives have been because they stopped rebuilding the temple, allowing the threats of the world to fill them with fear and stop God's bounty to them.
There is no Uriah loyalty to God in the hearts of the Israelites until God speaks through Haggai and Zechariah. So much time passes before they wake up to God!
What about me? Where is my Uriah loyalty and focus on God?
How am I too comfortable like David or weak and fearful like Zerubbabel?
I am worried because there is no serious trouble in my life.
My school is running extraordinarily well.
Teachers actually comment on it! I no longer feel antagonism towards my brother in law, only pity and compassion. I pray for him.
I have a new car.
My wife's health seems to be improving.
My health is better than it has been for years.
My small group members seem to have growing peace in their lives.
All this worries me.
What am I not seeing that I should be aware of? I am a sinner.
Why don't I see my sin? How has my comfort dulled me to reality?
Has my temple construction stopped and I haven't noticed?
Haggai says to Zerubbabel that God will make him his signet ring.
That's what I'd like to be too--God's signet ring.
That's like being praised as a good and faithful servant.
God's praise is what I seek, but how desperately?
Uriah's steadfast loyalty convicts me of spiritual laziness.
I feel stuck, repenting of sins like my angry frustration at Sunday School today because I was the one who didn't understand what I was supposed to do.
Instead of seeing I was the problem, I blamed others.
Lord, open my mind to your leading, protect me from worldly comfort and the fear it will all vanish as it did before. Give me your eyes to see my sins and your strenght to repent.
