I found some really encouraging words at a time of life when I’m seeing changes in my “temple.” Actually, it really struck my funny, but then it really “struck me serious.”

In notes at the beginning of Haggai it says, “Haggai told the poeple that the glory of the temple they were building would be greater than that of the former temple…” So far so good, but then it says, “…even though the building itself would be less to look at.”

As I was looking at my “temple” recently and noticing wrinkles that aren’t laugh lines, and gray that is encroaching on the brown, I was keenly aware that the building is becoming “less to look at” (though thankfully my husband doesn’t seem to notice or agree). I love it when God asks, “Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now?” That’s a question I’d rather not have answered! But then He says, “The glory of this present (wrinkled and graying) house will be greater than the glory of the former house…”

After the humor, I was really struck by the hope of this message. My temple may not look like it did in the former days, but it doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t matter. All that matters is the glory of God in the temple, and God has assured  us that He is willing to “fill this house with glory” – wrinkles and all.

My encouragement from Haggai: if God was willing to fill a less than perfect temple back then, He can do the same today. My prayer – my hope!

PS  I guess, afterall, this message is for any age. We live in a society obsessed with outward beauty, but even when the original temple was completed by Solomon, it was the presence of the Lord and His glory that mattered – not the physical beauty of the temple.

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