Pay Attention

 

Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.” (Haggai 1:5,7)

One of the things that I love about reading through the Bible every year is that I read books that I wouldn’t read otherwise. Which is how I ended up reading the tiny book of Haggai last week, written to the Israelites while they were in Babylonian captivity. The phrase above is used 5 times in just 2 short chapters. God was asking them to pay attention to what he wanted them to do, which was to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.

As I underlined the same words in my Bible five times, I was stopped short. What do you want me to give careful thought to today, Lord? What do I need to pay attention to? For days afterward, that little phrase kept popping up in my mind - give careful thought to your ways today, my daughter.

I was reminded that I needed to be more aware of what God has already done for me, to rehearse his faithfulness to me and to my family in the midst of all that is happening around us. But then I felt like he was also asking me to look around me and see what he was already doing in the world. Where could I join him in those things?

Your life probably doesn’t look like you thought it would right now. But what is God asking you to pay attention to today? Where can you join him in what he is already doing? Stop right now and give careful thought to your ways. And then be still and listen so that you can hear what he is telling you.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the reminder today that I need to stop and give careful thought to my ways. Help me to pay attention to what you are doing in my life and around me. Amen!