Jackie Hill Perry, a black woman rapper, half my age, unlike other examples of black woman rappers half my age that I’m used to seeing in the media who reference a worldly lifestyle and values, offers to me, in her devotional Upon Waking: 60 Daily Reflections to Discover Ourselves and the God We Were Made For, entries that illuminate more of my own path with God and Jesus Christ.
She’s the first person in all of the material and Scripture I’ve read and reflected on so far to reference the prophet Haggai.
For that, I am grateful because I don’t think much about prophets of the Old Testament, like Haggai (and any of the other prophets for that matter) because I can’t relate to having messianic visions.
Haggai describes the troubles of Zerubbabel and Joshua getting the second temple built after about 50,000 Jews return to Jerusalem after being taken as slaves by the Babylonians.
And I think I have problems with people in leadership in my society. 🙂
The temple building wasn’t going as well as it could because the people were being, well, people.
Full of sin, backbiting, and disinterest in God.
Where was God, they reasoned when our country was obliterated by the Persians and we were enslaved?
Haggai said to Zerubbabel (a governor) and Joshua (a high priest), speaking the words of God:
Haggai 2:4 But now take courage, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord, ‘take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ declares the Lord of armies.
This is a little bit hard for me to relate to because I’m not involved with temple building like Zerubbabel and Joshua.
I’m not trying to get masses of people to get their act together and pick up their shovels and get to work on a project that will bring glory to God.
Right?
I guess that would depend on how I view the activity of my life–am I building something that would glorify God or am I just futzing about wasting time between meals?
Jackie Hill Perry writes:
“There’s a common frustration among the faithful. They have planted seeds as often as they know how, into whatever soil they’ve been called to till with whatever gift they’ve been graced to use, and the evidence of their labor tarries. The truth they tell is resisted. The exhortation they provide is rejected. Meanwhile, they’re so discouraged by the slow fruitfulness of ministry that they are unable to trust the invisible work the Spirit is doing underground.”
Yesterday, after we attended Mass, sitting in a hot, stuffy balcony area, Karen was overcome with a wave of fatigue and had to lay down for most of the afternoon.
Fatigue is not usual for her. She has more energy than most anyone I know and is always DOING something.
So this side effect of the Imatibin is frustrating–for both of us.
While she slept, I found myself worrying, sort of flapping my mental and emotional arms around, about what does THIS mean? Can she do 3 months of this?
What if this gets WAY worse?
I sat up then and said to myself–don’t be ridiculous–PRAY IT OUT in Christ’s name.
Scatter Satan’s anxiety with prayer.
This is no small thing, I don’t think.
If I was non-believer, what would I do, double up on Ativan or Xanax for the afternoon if I was feeling anxious?
In The Abiding of the Spirit the Glory of the Church, Charles Spurgeon describes how Satan is always trying to undo our work of temple building for God:
“Satan is always doing his utmost to stay the work of God. He hindered these Jews from building the temple; and to-day he endeavors to hinder the people of God from spreading the gospel. A spiritual temple is to be builded for the Most High, and if by any means the evil one can delay its uprising he will stick at nothing: if he can take us off from working with faith and courage for the glory of God he will be sure to do it. He is very cunning, and knows how to change his argument and yet keep to his design: little cares how he works, so long as lies can hurt the cause of God.”
I didn’t know it then, but after reading about Haggai and his exhortation to Zerubbabel and Joshua for this reflection, I can see where I’m building my temple to God–prayer by prayer.
John Piper concurs in Take Courage: You Build More Than You See:
“What makes this message so practical and relevant is that we can see ourselves so easily in the workers. And God's encouraging words very easily become words of strength for us, too.”
I feel myself building strength each time I pray, each time I meditate on Scripture, each time I share what I know (or even what I’m puzzled by–like black women rappers half my age).
The Lord is with me–especially when I’m building my temple to Him.
Lord, fill us with Your Spirit and empower us to do the work You have set before us. Remove doubt and fear that may hinder us and replace it with confidence in Your Word.
Lord, we pray for the leaders in our lives–in our communities, in our churches, and in our families. Grant them wisdom to lead with integrity.
Amen.