Unlocking God’s Blessings As Good Stewards
Haggai 1:7-15
God always wants to bless His children. So, when we do things that lock up the blessings, God shows us the way through His Word so that we can repent and receive the blessings.
Today, God wants us to unlock our blessings by being good stewards. A steward is someone who manages or cares for another person’s property. As God’s children, He has entrusted the care of His house to us. These include: the facilities, resources, and the atmosphere for our worship experience. He expects us to make the church a place that brings Him pleasure and glory (Hag.1:8).
But like the people in the passage, we sometimes neglect God’s house and just focus on our own (Hag.1:2, 9). That neglect locks up our blessings, and our focus on ourselves does not yield any fulfillment.
So, God warns us through His Word to repent (Hag.1:7). God’s presence is with us to empower us to develop an affection and devotion to His house (v.13). David had that concern for God’s house (2Sam.7:1-2), and gave his treasure to build God’s house, motivating the leaders and the people to do the same (1Chron.29:3-7). The result was that they were filled with joy (v.9).
We will experience that same joy when we obey the Lord, rising up to care and provide for God’s house (Hag.1:12-15). Our joy is activated when every blessing locked up is released (v.9-11):
1. Little becomes much. Our little efforts produce abundance.
2. The dew of heaven falls on us, causing us to flourish and become fruitful.
3. Rain from heaven releases an experience of physical (grain), emotional (wine), and spiritual (oil) prosperity.
4. Our families, marriages, children, businesses, projects, studies, and the work of our hands are all blessed.
May God unlock His blessings and pour them on us as we love and care for His house through giving our time, energy, money and treasures to build a place for His glory. Shalom!