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| On the way to church...in the good old days |
Are the good days of our church or even our own religious experience stalled in the past?
Have you ever heard it said, "Oh, if only things were like they were when," or can you joyfully anticipate the best is yet to come and work to make it so.
What about the past is valuable to the future? How do we adapt to make that future possible?
In today's lesson, the minor prophet Haggai tells the Jewish people that while their glory days seem to lay in the past, they are actually in the days to come.
Haggai 1:15b-2:9
1:15 on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month.
2:1 In the second year of King Darius, in the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the prophet Haggai, saying:
2:2 Speak now to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, and say,
2:3 Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Is it not in your sight as nothing?
2:4 Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the LORD; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the LORD; work, for I am with you, says the LORD of hosts,
2:5 according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear.
2:6 For thus says the LORD of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land;
2:7 and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the LORD of hosts.
2:8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of hosts.
2:9 The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the LORD of hosts.
Lol, Every time I hear the phrase “The Good Ole Days”, I think of my Grandfather’s (WH Harrell) response. He Always said, “There’s no such thing as the “good ole days”, Today is best because you are still kicking, breathing and haven’t lost your mind,yet". I have often thought, if there ever were any “good ole days” it would have been the late 40s after WWII through the early 60s. But where those days REALLY that good? Everything seemed so clear, simple and straightforward back then. However, in reality, I’m thinking not so much. There were problems even then.....Let’s face it, fundamentally, WE humans are flawed, messed up, beautiful and wondrous all wrapped up in an insanely complex package…God is indeed an AWESOME Creator! Perhaps WH was right after all, so, for TODAY… I’m thinking TODAY is a Beautiful day (I’m listening to “Beautiful Day”, by U2)-- watching the sun peak through the clouds, and completely thankful for another day!........<“)))><
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