From a Writer's Viewpoint On the Mountain

Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Consider your ways! Go up to the mountains and bring wood 

and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified," says the LORD 

(Haggai 1:7-8 NKJV).

On Wednesday of the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers' Conference, God showed me this verse and gave me a picture as to why 400+ writers were to come to the mountain. He was directing us to consider our ways, to examine our points of view, and to clarify our purpose by redirecting our focus.

As writers, we can easily get stuck inside of our own worlds with our message, our genres, our thoughts, and our goals just like the Israelites were doing in being preoccupied with their own affairs.

So, from a writer's point of view, what "ways" does God want us to consider?

1. The way we view Him.

2. The way we perceive others.

3. The way we hear His voice.

4. The way we obey His instructions.

When Haggai was given specific instructions by God to speak these words to the people of Israel, the temple was in ruin. God wanted His people to rebuild it. He wanted to dwell among them and take pleasure as they honored Him by acknowledging His presence and glory in the holy, sacred place.

So why this verse from the Old Testament?

The O.T. is a foreshadowing of the New Testament. God reveals to us through the history of Israel how He was pleased to dwell with His people. It was a foretaste of what was to come. Just as God took pleasure dwelling among His people in the physical temple, He now takes greater pleasure on this side of the cross and resurrection, dwelling inside of His people.

As believers, we are God's temple, the work of His hands, the holy, sacred place where His glory (Jesus Christ) resides through the power of the Holy Spirit.

As the BRMCWC family collected the building tools provided for us on the top of the mountain (in His presence), God allowed us to linger in His presence so when we returned, we would be equipped to practice daily living in His presence, and allow Him to refine not only our craft, but His dwelling place, our lives.

As we fill with the glory of Jesus, we will spill Him over into our relationships with others, hear Him more clearly, and walk in obedience with a more confident faith.

You see, it wasn't about our writing that He took us to the mountain, it was for us to consider our ways - to examine our relationship with Him, to have a real Spirit-searching of our souls, and taking our faith to the next level in our journeys. 

Consider your ways means to: 
1. Repent of sins hindering our effectiveness for Christ.
2. Reconcile relationships with other believers.
3. Tend His Temple, our hearts, so we can hear Him clearly.
4. Obey in whatever He calls us to do.

Then, He will be glorified, taking great pleasure in us and enriching our writing with His power, purpose and clarity.

What was your take-away? Have you considered your ways?