haggai

i've been reading/studying the old testament book of haggai this past week and half after hearing someone refer to a certain verse as a way God led her to leave america to do ministry in czech...

haggai 1:4 "Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?"

haggai is a book about delayed obedience [that of the Jews at the time, in rebuilding the Temple, to be exact] and about making your own life cushy while "the house of the Lord" lies in ruins. something i was feeling as i prepared to come to czech was this looming expectation as a young college grad to go and "make a living"...go and find success...go and create security for myself. these things aren't bad necessarily and i couldn't even tell you where these expectations really came from. but what i DO know is this: the LORD who made this whole world fulfills ALL my needs for security and success. and i know this: there is a country that is filled with darkness and a deep need for God to restore them and bring them hope...and God is in the process of doing just that.

so, here i am. even though sometimes i really do want my silly paneled house, i ask God to keep reminding me that one day in His house is better.