Drop that hammer! The Persian king said the people of Judah could forget about restoring the Temple, God’s house of worship. But fast forward sixteen years when God sends His people a message through the prophet Haggai: “Build my house, so that I may . . . be honored” (Haggai 1:8). You may feel confused when events don’t go as planned, especially when those plans are good. But keep your hope in God because while we want things done right away, God wants things done at the right time.
“Now be strong, Zerubbabel,” declares the LORD. “Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,” declares the LORD, “and work. For I am with you,” declares the LORD Almighty.
Even if it was just building with toy construction blocks, you know that building something well can take a lot of time and patience. What other qualities are needed to be a good builder?
Go outside and find materials to build a tower. You might use stones, dirt, seashells, sticks, bricks, or anything else you can find. See how high you can make a tower with the things you can find.
God, sometimes it seems as if good things will never happen to me. Give me hope that You are still with me even when I have to wait. Amen.