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The first time I heard Francis Chan was at the Thirsty Conference in 2006. He did a talk out of Haggai that blew me away. I have to admit, I stole it, changed it up slightly to make it my own, but I gave him credit for the influence. 🙂
Today in my daily devotional read of My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers, I was reminded of the message, and wanted to share a few thoughts (I suggest taking the time to read through the 2 short chapters of Haggai HERE after reading this post to get the full idea of what is taking place.)…
(1:12) Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of God’s people began to obey the message from the Lord their God. When they heard the words of the prophet Haggai, whom the Lord their God had sent, the people feared the Lord. Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave the people this message from the Lord: “I am with you, says the Lord!”
The basic idea from Chapter 1 of Haggai is that God is not pleased with the people because they have put themselves, their desires and ambitions, before pleasing the Lord and doing the things that He desired. Zerubbabel led the people to obey the Lord and its at that point that the Lord tells them, “I am with you.”
Kind of sounds like the promise in Matthew 28:19-20 when we are commissioned to go into all the world to make disciples, to baptize, and to teach others all that Christ has taught us, basically the things He desires. He ends by saying in the NLT, “And be sure of this: I am with you always…”
Now back to Haggai…
(2:23)”…I will honor you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant. I will make you like a signet ring on my finger, says the Lord, for I have chosen you.
Zerubbabel obeyed the Lord and did what He desired, so the Lord finishes the chapter out telling Zerubbabel that He is chosen by God and that He has made him like His signet ring. That right there is awesome! Pause and think about it…A signet ring is the King’s Seal, it is used to attest the authority of its bearer, the ring has also been seen as a symbol of his power. So that means, Zerubbabel has been given God’s authority, His power, His advanced say-so to do what needs to be done, He had God’s approval.
Oswald Chambers wrote today about “The Never-Failing God” – and his focus is on His promises to never fail us and to never forsake us. “…I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” (Hebrew 13:5) – “Neither will I in any way forsake you” – That means that no matter what we do, how bad we mess up, how sinful we are or how selfish we get, the Lord is still there. He has chosen us, He has given us power, He lives with in us, and promises to give us abundant life. Here’s how Chambers closes the devotional:
“We have the idea that God is going to do some exceptional thing, that He is preparing and fitting us for some extraordinary thing by and bye, but as we go on in grace we find that God is glorifying Himself here and now, in the present minute. If we have God’s say-so behind us, the most amazing strength comes, and we learn to sing in the ordinary days and ways.”
So…What have you been waiting for God’s say-so on? Or – What is something in the past that you were holding back on because you were waiting on God’s approval? What will you do with the power God has given you?
