This people says, "The time has not come, the time that the
Lord's house should be built." Haggai 1:2
I know of a church that has desperately needed to expand for a number of years. Many of
the members have had a desire to build for quite some time and are ready to press ahead
with the project. There are others, however, who believe that because the church hasn't
been able to raise the full amount necessary to pay for the project, the timing isn't
right.
When doing God's work, the issue of His will and timing is a very important one. The
Israelites in Haggai's day faced such an issue in the rebuilding of the temple. After
years of captivity in Babylon, they returned to Jerusalem. With God's instructions, they
began the project (about 15 years prior to Haggai's prophecy). But then, because of fear
and intimidation, they quit (Ezra 4). As days and years went by, they excused their
inaction by saying that the timing wasn't right (Haggai 1:2). Nonsense! The real problem
was that they were too busy increasing their own comfortbuilding and living in their
own "paneled houses" (1:4)to give any time or effort to constructing the
house of God.
How careful we must be to avoid becoming so absorbed in building our own
"houses" (physical or financial) that we ignore the work of God. Let us always
seek to do His work in His time and according to His instructions.
-DCE
Lord, I would always do Your will,
Your perfect plan I would fulfill;
Don't let me move too fast or slow,
For it's Your timing I would know.
-Fitzhugh
Now is the right time to do God's will.