Building and Me

The people of Israel have been stopped from rebuilding the Temple of the LORD.  They are being told by Zechariah and Haggai that they are the reason the construction has stopped.  They are wrong.  They have sinned.

Then the angel showed me Jeshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD. The Accuser, Satan, was there at the angel's right hand, making accusations against Jeshua. And the LORD said to Satan, "I, the LORD, reject your accusations, Satan. Yes, the LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you. This man is like a burning stick that has been snatched from the fire." (Zechariah 3:1-2 NLT)

The truth is that we are sometimes the reason that the building project stops, too.  We don’t do our part of God’s plan, so the building project does not move forward as well as it would with us on board.  God convicts our hearts so we will change that behavior.  Satan piles on just to make us feel guilty and quit.

Jeshua's clothing was filthy as he stood there before the angel. So the angel said to the others standing there, "Take off his filthy clothes." And turning to Jeshua he said, "See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes." Then I said, "They should also place a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean priestly turban on his head and dressed him in new clothes while the angel of the LORD stood by. (Zechariah 3:3-5 NLT)

God never tempts us to quit.  God wants us to move forward.  God wants us to heal.  God wants us to be strong.  God wants us to build.  So, God provides a solution to our problem of failure.  God heals us, strengthens us, and builds us up so we can get back to our building projects.

Then the angel of the LORD spoke very solemnly to Jeshua and said, "This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies says: If you follow My ways and carefully serve Me, then you will be given authority over My Temple and its courtyards. I will let you walk among these others standing here. (Zechariah 3:6-7 NLT)

Jeshua was healed, strengthened, and built back up.  He was sent back to live out his role of God’s plan.  The same can happen to us, too.  We simply need to let God build us up again.  God loves us and is ready to help us as well.

"Listen to Me, O Jeshua the high priest, and all you other priests. You are symbols of things to come. Soon I am going to bring My servant, the Branch. Now look at the jewel I have set before Jeshua, a single stone with seven facets. I will engrave an inscription on it, says the LORD of Heaven's Armies, and I will remove the sins of this land in a single day. "And on that day, says the LORD of Heaven's Armies, each of you will invite your neighbor to sit with you peacefully under your own grapevine and fig tree." (Zechariah 3:8-10 NLT)

How about you?  When the person stopping the building project is yourself, what do you do?  Do you let God love you?  Do you let God heal you?  Do you let God strengthen you?  Do you let God build you up?