I’m about to conclude reading the Old Testament during my devotional time. The bible I’m using presently is one I was given 30+ years ago. I haven’t been using it for a number of years but chose it this time around. So, today I read the small book of Haggai. As I opened to it I had written a note which said, “Today we start on our house.” It was dated 10/27/97. The note went on to say, “I need to stay focused on what is most important.” I’m sure I wrote that due to what Haggai was telling the people who had returned to rebuild the temple. It had been in ruins for 70 years. When they had returned to Jerusalem, they were rebuilding their own homes rather than God’s home. So Haggai was giving them the reminder as to what was most important.

I’m sure 27 years ago that was a truly important message for me. Today, it was equally as important. It is so easy to tell God, “I’ll get to that tomorrow,” I want to focus today on whatever is on my mind or maybe more so, on my emotions. Just taking a small step back and seeing what I look like when I choose selfishness makes me ashamed. What’s always startling to me is that when I choose God’s nudges first, I still have time to get the little things done I want or I find they just weren’t important anyway.

Learning to obey God 24/7 is a day to day process I never want to walk away from. He is so worth obeying!