After 70 years of exile in Babylon, the people of Israel, according to the word of the Lord, were allowed to go back to their homeland and rebuild the temple of the Lord their God. Work began in earnest, but it quickly came to a halt when opposition to the building came up. They reasoned that it must not be the right time to build the house of the Lord. Then the word of the Lord came to the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah and Joshua the high priest. The Lord rebuked them for living in comfort in their paneled houses, while the temple of the Lord remained in ruins. He told them twice to give careful thought to their ways. Their struggles were from the Lord, that they may repent and come back to him and build his house.

When they heard the word of the Lord, Zerubbabel and Joshua repented their ways, along with the whole remnant in Judah, and they began building the house of the Lord. Life has many struggles that keep us very busy. It is easy to forget the Lord amidst those struggles. But let us give careful thought to our ways and come back to him.
Application: Father, help me to repent my busyness and lack of thought to your ways. Help me to think carefully about my ways and deeply consider yours.
One Word: Give careful thought to your ways