Consider Your Ways

Haggai 1:3 Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? 5 Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. 6 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.

Most of the prophetic books of the Old Testament addressed conditions leading up to the exile of Israel. A few, like Haggai, address the time of return and rebuilding.  Had they learned their lesson? Most Israelites did not return to the land, and many of those who did quickly and easily became discouraged. They built houses and plowed fields, but things just were not right. It just wasn't like "the good ole days", and they never seemed to move forward.  God calls them not to look around, but look within.  What were their motives and desires? Who were they trying to please: themselves or Him? They were to consider their ways. When things aren't going just right, who do you tend to question, blame, and examine? How quickly, or slowly, do you look within?