3 ‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? 4 But 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. 5 ‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’ 6 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty. 8 ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 9 ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” - Haggai 2:3-9
Dear Heavenly Father,
I am intrigued by this word you sent through the prophet, Haggai, when the rag tag remnant of your people was rebuilding your temple for you. You comforted the older people that although the rebuilt temple would nowhere near match the old one, that you would give it more glory by sending your Son and his gospel there. In the same way, I have often wondered what it is about my home church building that makes me like it. It's not because it's the most beautiful building I have ever worshiped in. It's so much more. It's because I meet your Son there and I receive his mercy and peace. My heart is purified, set right and comforted when I'm there. Thank you for my home church and your servants who labor there to bring Jesus to my heart.
Amen
Pastor Don Patterson
If you have a home church where one or more servants bring you Jesus, you are among the most privileged souls on the planet.
Additional Reading: 1 Corinthians 14, 1Timothy 4