Only Believe

“Then spake Haggai the LORD’S messenger in the LORD’S message unto the people, saying, I [am] with you, saith the LORD.” (Hag 1:13 AV)

I love the book of Haggai.  It is a book of encouragement for a discouraged people.  Their problem was not lack of opportunity.  They had returned from captivity to rebuild the temple and walls of Jerusalem.  Their problem was not a lack of resources.  Their problem was not lack of permission or outside encouragement.  They were discouraged because the situation in which they found themselves did not meet the criteria they had in place.  They believed if God was in something, then it should look a certain way.  They believed if God was in it, whatever they produced would be an improvement on what they left.  The problem was, God had a plan different from their own.  They were discouraged because they didn’t see what God had in mind as better that what they had lost.  Their biggest problem was a simple dearth of faith.  They had none.  For several reasons, they simply did not believe God would do anything as He had in the past.  They left off building the temple and cared more for their own interests because they simply did not feel God was with them.  It doesn’t matter how we feel.  If God is not against us, then He is for us.  Period!

Reading the New Testament, especially the gospels, one is struck by how much the faith of those to whom Christ was sent determined in a large part what He could do for them.  Faith is the essence of human existence.  This is why God created mankind.  He desired a being capable of loving Him by faith.  Oft times, those to whom Christ was sent experienced no mighty miracle from Christ because they simply didn’t believe.  Matthew tells us, “And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.” (Mt 13:58 AV)  Israel limited the Holy One of Israel because they would not trust Him.  God, in His benevolence, could do anything He wants for us without our faith.  Yet, He placed that expectation for His glory and our good.  Imagine a child who got everything he ever needed or wanted without asking one time for anything!  Imagine that same child, when faced with a need or want, didn’t believe his parents would provide.  Can you imagine what that child would be as he grew older?  He could never trust anyone.

Movies based on the theme of faith are very popular.  Angels in the Outfield, Miracle on 34^th Street, The Bad News Bears, Rudy, Hoosiers, etc.  They all have a common theme.  Faith and belief had more to do with success than ability.  Not that God is a source of entertainment, mind you.  Nor should He be thought of in exactly the same light.  But we do see the human need to overcome by faith in something or someone.  This is the theme of Haggai.  This prophet pumped up God’s people by reminding them of the promises and ability of God.  He corrected their bad thinking and behavior.  But it didn’t stop there.  They needed to really believe God was with them.  Otherwise, the practices they put in place to overcome would not work.  They had to believe!  The same is true for us.  No matter what we face, we have to believe that God is with us.  He has never abandoned us.  He is not perpetually judging us.  He is not doing whatever He can to trip us up.  The thing about Haggai and Nehemiah is the devil uses the people of God and the enemies of God to discourage those who could do something for God.  Don’t let them!  God is with you no matter what you see or what others say!  God is with you!