Another Day

In the past couple of weeks, I've had an increased number of instances in which I was describing aspects of my spirituality to people who had the questions. And while they ranged from worship style to church attendance to actual belief system, I noticed that a common theme for me is that it is a truly personal experience when you connect with the Father.

Today was another example. I found myself awake early and especially alert this morning. Thankful I remembered to take down the garbage, I was somehow inspired to read those Bible chapters I had permanently penciled in for "Tomorrow". Initially I grabbed my study Bible with the chapters already in a plan to follow, but then I reached for a more conventional study Bible. Then I did a routine. I pray that God just speaks to me by just guiding the way I open the Bible. It may sound silly but I think it was inspired in one of my initial spells of desperation years ago. It helped me then. And it has mostly helped me since. Anyway, my prayer was admittedly scattershot. Just like a conversation with any friend, I found myself going off on tangents. Still I found a way to regroup and ask for that guidance.

Now I open the blessed Book and come to Haggai, a tiny book tucked in the back of the Old Testament. I won't lie. When I have been stubborn and come to an entry like that after the same prayer routine, I have closed the Bible and done a restart, hoping I would be lead to one of the more conventionally inspirational passages. But lately I have been realizing that this only child "my way or the highway" attitude is the reason I find myself in this state of stagnation in the first place. So I read the tiny book.

And it spoke right to me. Straight shot to the heart.
"Look at what’s happening to you! You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!" Haggai 1: 5-6 (NLT)

You can read the chapters for yourself, but what I got out of it was the Israelites just had misguided priorities, much like myself. When they submitted to doing what they were supposed to though, the Lord kept blessing them. And what they were supposed to do was submit to God's will in the first place.

The priority thing has always been my main obstacle. But a little later there is this: "But now the Lord says: Be strong, Zerubbabel. Be strong, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people still left in the land. And now get to work, for I am with you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid.’ " Haggai 2: 4-5 (NLT)

Time to get working.

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Now playing: De La Soul - U Can Do (Life)