Moved by God

Then Haggai, the Lord’S messenger, spoke the Lord’S message to the people, saying, “I am with you, says the Lord.” 14So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of Hosts, their God, (Haggai 1:13-14)

Have you ever been at a standstill in your spiritual life and wondered if you were getting anywhere? There are only two possible solutions to your waiting. Do you remember what Moses told the people as they stood before the Red Sea? He said, “Do not be afraid, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.” (Ex 15:16) Sometimes, we stand still because God wants to show Himself strong in a miraculous way. However, we can often find ourselves standing still and stagnating because of our own negligence to the revealed will of God.

In the book of Haggai, God sends a strong message to the Jews who had been permitted to return to their land and was suppose to be rebuilding the temple- God’s house of worship. During the initial stage of construction on the foundation, opposition from without and within stopped the work for 14 years. With the work being halted, people began returning to their own selfish interests and were beginning to experience the discipline of the Lord. They were eating and drinking but were not satisfied. They clothed themselves but were not warm. They were earning wages but only to put their money in bags with holes. It sounds like they were wasting their time on misplaced priorities.

Can you remember when you were saved by God’s grace and were ready and willing to serve God with all of your heart? Then, opposition from within and without came leaving you discouraged and forgetful about what God had done for you? In James 4:4 we read, “You are like an unfaithful wife who loves her husband’s enemies. Don’t you realize that making friends with God’s enemies—the evil pleasures of this world—makes you an enemy of God? I say it again, that if your aim is to enjoy the evil pleasure of the unsaved world, you cannot also be a friend of God (TLB). In God’s grace, He told the Jews five times in this book to “Consider your ways!” God raised up a Proclaimer of truth that called the people to build the Lord’s house instead of worrying about their earthly palaces.

When the Word is spoken, we can either embrace it and act or deflect and act like we heard. The truth is that much dissatisfaction with life is because of neglect for God’s Word. When the people began listening to the Word, fear struck their hearts, and God comforted them and moved them to obey His will. He stirred the leader’s spirit all the way down to the rest of the people. God awakened their hearts to their low living, challenged them to be courageous and launch out on His promises, and empowered them to perform His will that His glory would be revealed among His people.

Where do you find yourself today? Are you in a waiting or quiet moment? Then realize that we can’t direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. Either you are waiting for God to move or God is waiting for you to move on what He has already spoken. In January, God moved my heart toward a young lady in church. He opened my eyes to my wife. In eight days, I went from single and not looking to engaged. He moved. I obeyed. He continues to move my heart to be worshipper of Him, a willing husband, and a worker in building His Kingdom. May the Word of God stir your spirit to obey and patiently wait in prayer as He leads the way!