The residents of Canandaigua had given it a nickname. They called it “The Birdcage.” Interestingly, once the hotel was completed, they named their outdoor bar after this nickname.
Unfinished work can be demoralizing. And this is where we find the people of God toward the end of the Old Testament. They’ve been in exile and were returning to the land. They were putting everything back in order, beginning with their own houses. But in time God challenged them to give priority to a temple that had lain in ruins for quite some time.
The Temple is like The Birdcage. It’s set there day after day, unfinished, incomplete. God calls His people to step up and do something about it. It would require a re-prioritization of their time and attention, focusing on the work of God.
I’m excited about delving into the last three books of the Old Testament. We’ll be in these writings for the next few months. As I have been preparing these sermons, it occurs to me that these are not just ancient words for long ago. They are words that constantly draw us back to God.
Do you find your own spirituality a pile of rubble? Is your relationship with God more like The Birdcage than a completed hotel? If so, you might find the words of these prophets challenging. They are calling God’s people toward renewal, sacrificial giving and offering to God their first and their best.
The first prophet in this series is Haggai. It’s the most concise of the three prophets we will be studying. But his words are to the point. Look at what he says:
(Haggai 1:4 NIV) “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”
He’s not opposed to the people putting their house back in order. But he is concerned that they are neglecting God’s house. They’re giving time and attention to their own matters. Spiritually their lives look like The Birdcage. Hollow, empty, void of life. Let me challenge you to consider your faith. What does it look like? Is it empty? Is it flourishing? How might God be calling you to shift, to rethink, to prioritize His ways and work?
I hope you will join us as we begin this series that will go all the way through the season of Advent.
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