HAGGAI 1:1-11 – In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest: “Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.” Then the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes. “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the LORD. You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors.”

THEME OF THE DAY. THE CONSEQUENCES OF SPIRITUAL PROCRASTINATION. It is part of what happened to humanity in the Garden of Eden. And it remains a real temptation to all Christians. Yet, it might be one of those “respectable sins” Jerry Bridges wrote about it his book under that title. We are referring to what God’s people were doing in today’s scripture – the sin of procrastination. And yes, procrastination is a sin. I know we do not need it, but let’s refresh ourselves with a dictionary definition of procrastination – “put off doing something.” In a worldly application, it may not have much significance in little things. In the spiritual realm, it has significant consequences. Taking the definition of procrastination and applying it spiritually, we would define “spiritual procrastination” as “putting off known commands of the Lord to a not promised future.” This is serious in His eyes as we see in today’s scripture.

As we read Haggai’s words, God’s people were all about their interests at the expense of God’s interests – Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD. Then the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?” The Lord is saying, “You have time to invest in your personal interests and pursuits, but not Mine.” Let this sink into our thinking that leads to self-examination. Are we guilty as were God’s people of old of the sin of procrastination? Do we find ourselves finding time to do what our flesh and emotions want to do but not obeying God’s commands – like serving His people, reaching out to encourage His people, and sharing the Gospel with those yet to be His people? Obedience or disobedience to the Lord is a matter of conscious choices of the priorities and will.

And what are the consequences of spiritual procrastination? Spend time poring over today’s scripture. The consequences of this sin are discontent and dissatisfaction. When we commit spiritual procrastination, God chastens us by allowing an unsettled heart of discontent and of feeling unfilled, not matter what we try in the world to satisfy us. Should we choose to commit or tolerate the sin of procrastination, God in His love, yes, His love, will ensure we will not find what is only found in Him – contentment, satisfaction, and purpose in life.

It may appear a little thing, but in God’s eyes procrastination is anything but little. May He help us to see how serious the sin of procrastination is not only in our lives but in our fellowship with Him.

PRAYER: “Father, impress upon my heart the brevity of life and the necessity of obeying You today.”

QUOTE: “Don’t live life that leads to at the end of your life having to say, ‘I wish I had’ when it comes to spiritual priorities.”