Consider Your Ways

It seems like yesterday that all the news for 1999 was directed at the computer and that all the computers of the world were going to crash at the stroke of midnight and the turn of the century. We were being warned our new-found fascination with the personal computer was in jeopardy and a world-wide panic was inevitable. Folks were storing up water and canned goods because the food industry was going to be unable to deliver goods to the retail markets. Y2K did present some concerns as to the function of computers not programmed for the turn of the century with the unrecognizable 2xxx year designation, but throughout the previous several years they had been updated to survive the stroke of midnight and the year 2000. Still, some wouldn’t listen and fretted over a problem that didn’t exist, that is unless preparations had not been taken before hand. New Year’s morning was awash with plenty of water and calmer minds prevailed. Now was the time to focus on that magical year of 2020. It seemed so far off and dreams of what it was going to be like were fabulous. Now its only two years away and the whole world seems to have introverted to a me society, and for many the magic of 2020 is all but gone.

[Haggai 1:2-11] ...Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.” The beginning of a new year is a good time to pause and consider the direction of our lives. It is easy to get into ruts and routines (even extremely hectic ones) and thus never stop to consider where we are going or where we should be going. After the children of Israel had returned home from Babylonian captivity, the people soon became careless in their faith and devotion to Almighty God. Their focus shifted from God to self. So God sent them a prophet by the name of Haggai with a stinging rebuke and warning. He told them to give careful thought to what they were doing. According to Haggai 1:6, they try and try to please themselves but nothing is working! They are working really hard, but what they are doing isn’t accomplishing anything! Do you ever feel that way? God is saying, “Do what will glorify ME! You want your life to matter and be satisfying and fulfilling and all that it can be? Glorify me!” With this event in mind, let us stop and consider our ways. Here are some serious spiritual questions (thanks to Donald Whitney) that will help us consider our ways and see if we are seeking to glorify God or self. • What is the single most important thing I can do to improve the quality of my family life this year? • What is the single biggest time-waster in my life, and what will I do about it this year? • What is the most helpful new way I could strengthen my congregation? • For whom will I pray most fervently this year? • Who is the person(s) that I most want to encourage this year? • What is the one thing I could do this year to enrich the spiritual legacy that I will leave to my children and grandchildren? • What single thing that I plan to do this year will matter most in 10 years? In eternity? • What is the one thing I most regret about last year, and what will I do about it this year? We must plan for spiritual greatness. It won’t happen by accident. Let us consider our ways. “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17).