Haggai 1  This prophet lived during the time of the return of Israel after the exile to Babylon.  Darius was king and had given them the permission and command to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple.( Ezra 6)  There was some opposition, if you remember, from those living around Jerusalem, so the rebuilding had stalled.  Then the Lord spoke up:  "Consider your ways!" 

The people were saying, " The time has not come, even the time for the house of the Lord to be rebuilt."  They were living in "paneled houses".. they were taking care of their own homes.. but they were neglecting the Temple.. the House of the Lord.  "Consider your ways!"

Think about this, the Lord says, " You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes." ... "Consider your ways!"

Consider your ways.. "give careful thought to your ways" (NIV).  God calls them to take a long look at the path they are on.. the choices they are making.. the direction they are headed... by their neglect of the Temple, they were showing their neglect of worship, of reverence for God, and for obedience to His Word.  They were going in the wrong direction! "Consider your ways!"

"Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house.. " the Lord told them.. "You look for much, but behold it comes to little.... I blow it away.. "  All that they looked for, outside of His will, was useless and empty..  He "withheld the dew.. and the produce"  He "called for a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on what the ground produces, on men, on cattle, and on all the labor of your hands."  A drought.. dryness, parching heat, desolation, waste.. 

Maybe we are feeling the "parching heat".. dryness, drought.  Maybe all that we looking for.. has been blown away....  All our plans and dreams.. all our hard work.. all that we were counting on for the future.. all our treasures... have come to mean nothing.. because we have neglected the most important things.. "Consider your ways!"

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:33)

The good news is that the people of Israel listened to Haggai.  They "showed reverence for the Lord".. and they obeyed Him.  "So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerbbabel.. the governor.. and the spirit of Joshua.. 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." 

They considered their ways.. and turned around. Then.. God poured out His Spirit on them. 

Father, may we also examine our ways.. may we turn around from pursuing our own wants and desires.. and trying to do things in our own time with our own will.. and turn back to You.. We seek Your Kingdom and Your righteousness. We worship You. We honor Your Name and desire Your will. Fill us with Your Spirit .. stir us up, Lord!   May we do all that You have called us to do.. to the glory of Your Name. In Jesus' name we pray.Amen.