Consider Your Ways

“Then the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, ‘Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.”

—Haggai 1:3-6

God is at war with the American dream. The American dream consists of owning your own home, married, with 2.5 kids, and money in the bank. It doesn’t seem like much, but it is antithetical to the message of Christ. It’s idolatry.

How can the American dream be idolatry? It is idolatry whenever it surpasses your love for God. Whenever your focus is more on getting a home and money, then they become an idol. Idolatry, as Mark Driscoll describes it is “usually good things that we turn into God things and in turn become bad things.” Having a home is a good thing. Being married is a good thing. Having children is a good thing. And having money or savings is a good thing. But when those things become functional Savior’s or take our eyes off of Christ they become very bad things.

Consider our passage for today. The people of Judah had returned to Jerusalem after being in captivity in Babylon for 70 years. Under the leadership of Ezra the priest, Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, the people came to rebuild the walls of the city and the Jewish temple that had been destroyed under King Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C. According to Nehemiah, they finished rebuilding the walls in record time (Nehemiah 6:15), but the rebuilding of the temple was stalled. After 14 years, the prophet Haggai appeared on the scene rebuking the people for caring more about their earthly houses than they did about God’s house.

He pulled no punches and spared no words. He said, “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?” He went on to describe their situation, “Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.”

The people had neglected God focusing more on their own “American” dream. They were building houses, eating, drinking, and had some nice clothes, but no matter what they did, nothing seemed to satisfy. They ate and drank, but were never filled. They were clothed, but were not warm. And those who worked and earned money seemed like they were losing it right away. And it was all because they had neglected God. God wasn’t their first priority. Everything else had become more important and God was eventually squeezed out of the picture altogether. But God cannot and will not be second place. He will not be an addendum or footnote. He must be the center and number one priority of our lives. Anything else is idolatry. We cannot pacify God with the scraps of our time, treasure or talents. He desires and He alone deserves first place in our hearts. He deserves our best time, the first fruits of our income, and the very best of our talents harnessed and honed for the glory of His name and the extension of His kingdom.

Where is God in your life? If He’s not first place, then He has no place. He must be first. Look at your calendar—is God first and foremost in your calendar? Is He God of your time? Look at your checkbook or bank statement—is God first? Does the greatest Treasure of the universe have the best of your earthly treasure? What about your talents? Are you using the gifts you’ve been given for selfish pursuits or for the Savior’s use?

Consider your ways. God commands it. Look at your life in a mirror and ask God to expose the flaws and He will. Ask Him to show you your priorities and where His place is in your life. And then be ready to make the necessary changes. He wants your best and then He will bless. Amen.