First place?

You have looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? says the Lord of hosts. Because my house lies in ruins, while all of you hurry off to your own houses.                                                                                          Haggai 1.9

The people of God have returned from exile and now live in Jerusalem under Persian oversight. They had an urgent need for housing which they satisfied, we are told, to quite a comfortable degree. They built themselves panelled houses (v4), which is suggestive of wealth.

But they had neglected the house of God, and they were now paying for it (v6). God challenged them on how they had fared by putting their own selfish needs before the respect due to Him by the building and rededication of a house to the Lord. They had failed to honour Him, and they suffered for it accordingly.

How typical it is for humans to consider themselves and their own needs first. We relegate God to a secondary place, and I’m quite sure we do this without a conscious thought about it. We see our own needs, and sometimes what are simply “wants”, to the exclusion of the more important priority.

I am as guilty as anyone. Today I can say, with realisation, that I desire to put God first. But how long will this good intention last? Perhaps it’s good that I just acknowledge God’s paramount place in my life, and hold to that for today. Tomorrow, God willing, I can remind myself and hold to this truth for a further day. And so, as I go, I might establish a pattern in my life.

Lord God,

I ask You to forgive me my selfishness. I choose You first, Lord. My desire is to place You before all else. I live for You. I invite You to take the place of precedence, and of honour, in my life. May I know the fullness of life in You, in Jesus’ name I ask.                      Amen.