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

Haggai 1:7  This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.” (NIV)

Haggai 1:13  Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave this message of the Lord to the people: “I am with you,” declares the Lord.” (NIV)

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I am not writing about Ollie the Border Collie today. 

You’re welcome. 

Several years ago, I started highlighting my Bible app with the color blue for everything that talked about walking with God, God giving direction to our steps and our ways, and other similar words indicating action and motion. 

When I looked at the page today, I noticed these three verses stood out because of how they were highlighted. Verses 5 and 7 are highlighted in blue. Verse 13 is highlighted in traditional yellow. These three highlights tell the story, don’t they? 

God says, “Give careful thought to your ways,” “Give careful thought to your ways,” and most importantly, “I am with you.”

The New Living Translation translates verses 5 and 7 this way: “Look at what’s happening to you!”

The Message paraphrase says it like this:

“Take a good, hard look at your life.
Think it over.” (verses 5 and 7)

Then Haggai, GOD’s messenger, preached GOD’s Message to the people: “I am with you!” GOD’s Word. (verse 13)

Sometimes we see what’s true, but we don’t receive its truth. 

Sometimes someone has to point out what’s true to help us see the truth. 

God graciously helped these people all those years ago. He graciously helps us today. 

Highlight verses 5 and 7 in one color, and then verse 13 in another. 

Glance at the page and see what God is saying to you. 

“Take a good hard look at your life. Think it over. 
I am with you.”

I’m going out in a few minutes to take a walk. I’ll be alone most likely because, well, you know. I’m going to take a good hard look at my life. I’m going to think it over and thank God for being with me here in the mess of emotions and changes I’m living through right now. 

When can you schedule that kind of walk for yourself? Ideally, who would you take with you? Maybe a drive is more your style. Make a date with God to take a good hard look at your life and to think it over. Then lay it before him and ask him what he thinks, what he wants, and trust him from the bottom of your heart with whatever he says.

It’s interesting that I chose blue, my favorite color, to highlight verses about walking with God. Today’s a blue day. I love walking with God. I need to walk with God. 

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I will walk with God and take a good look at my life, think it over, and prepare for what’s next as God leads me along one step at a time. 

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Our Father, I invite you to speak to my heart as we take this walk today. Help me to see my life from your perspective. What’s right? What’s wrong? What’s confused? What’s missing? What are the core issues? And, where do we go from here? You lead. I’ll follow. I’ll hear and obey. Amen.