Rev Andrew Fitzgerald – Called to Build For the Honour of God – Haggai 1:1-15

Subscribe: RSS

“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘These people say, “The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house.”’ Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: ‘Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?’ Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways.’”
(Haggai 1:2-5)

Haggai’s prophecy dates from 520 BC when with Zechariah he ministered during a crucial time, sharing some pretty stark words with the people of God as the Lord’s messenger. The first stark word is read in those opening verses of chapter one and concerns the people’s procrastination in the call to rebuild God’s temple, or house, symbolic of God’s promise and concerned with His presence with the people. They failed to prioritise this call to build the Lord’s house over personal prosperity with reference made to paneled houses, filled plates, over drinking and wastefulness. It’s a pretty damning account and yet somehow, it speaks through the ages to the contemporary age and to us. The physical building project is over at CBC but the call to build remains. We must guard against the temptation to sit back, relax and enjoy the red and white branding but instead pay the outstanding bills, prioritize financial giving to the church and contribute to the building of God’s Kingdom ministry here.

For more information on financially giving to the church, please speak to our Minister (Andrew) or Church Treasurer (Michelle). With information also located on the leaflet racks in the foyer and landing.