Rev. George Miller
July 24, 2022
Haggai 2:3-9
“Take courage, says God. My spirit
abides with you, do not fear. From this
day on, I will bless you.”
A major change in Highlands County may have taken place on Tuesday at the
County Commissioner’s meeting.
A 5th generation cattleman was seeking the rezoning of his orange
grove to be turned into a housing development.
City planners were against it, as it would create urban sprawl.
Commissioner Roberts, also against it, invited representatives from Archibold
to share speaking point and concerns.
Then something happened. Amidst
all the data, a multi-generational citrus owner came forward, trying their best
not to cry, discussing the devastation that greening has done to our citrus industry.
Next, a representative of 1,000 acres of orange groves shared that 80% of
the land could not produce this year, leaving long time grove owners looking at
other alternatives to survive.
“We never asked for the greening.
But it’s here,” he stated, asking why the owners should be forced to hold
onto land that they are losing money on.
An elderly neighbor, with the help of a larger-than-life walking stick,
made his way to the podium, sharing he doesn’t want to see a development next
to him, but he supports the landowner.
When time came for the vote, a sacred reverence manifested.
Commissioner Tuck shared the need of affordable housing.
Commissioner Roberts eloquently spoke of how he came to the meeting knowing
exactly how he was going to vote, but after hearing everyone, he admitted the
decision was hard…
The Commissioners voted unanimously for the rezoning. A humble sadness surrounded this victory; a
change has officially come to Highlands County…
Moving to Highlands can be a shock- few major stores, a few shops. Yet there’s an appeal of Highlands, a reason
people come here.
But it’s going to change.
We started seeing this while driving to Sarasota. Each month there is less and less country
road as hotels, 7-11s and shopping centers are going in to meet the needs of
the people moving to FL.
Our local paper features a series about changes in Avon Park in which they’re
creating a hemp-based industry that will take the place of citrus.
Last week, the folks at Highlands Ridge were met with auction signs in
the nearby orange groves that surround them and provide great privacy.
There’s the continued debate about Downtown’s proposed water park, the
concerns of the Historical Society.
Let’s be honest- things have not been the same at Emmanuel since COVID, and
they never will, no matter what.
For those who come after us, they will never know. Those who are young enough to deal with
change will be OK. Those who remember how
things were, that’s different.
How do we respond to change?
Do we allow the rubble of a ruined past to permanently surround us?
Do we work together to create something totally new?
Do we allow space and time to grieve what has been forever lost? How do we move on? Is God still with us?
Today’s author would say “Courage.
Courage is how you move on.”
Haggai would say “Not only is God with you, but God is moving with you
towards a future that you can’t even begin to imagine.”
Today’s reading is just 2 chapters, but it incorporates 7 decades of history.
A review- 67 years ago the enemy came in and destroyed Judah. The buildings are bombed out, economy
destroyed, the farmland decimated.
The Temple is in shambles and 67 years later it still looks horrible.
Folk have rebuilt their homes, tried to reboot the economy. Crops are barely growing- they’re harvesting 20
measures when they used to get 50.
Haggai says “Hey- the time has come.
While you’ve resumed your lives, the Temple still lays in ruins. You say nothing you do seems to work out, and
wonder why. Meanwhile God’s home looks
like an episode of HOARDERS.”
Haggai speech stirs up the people.
“It’s time for us to get together and for life to move on. It’s time to receive Heaven’s gifts, go up
the hill and get lumber. Let’s see what
God can do.”
The priests, politicians and people listen, start to rebuild the Temple.
But 4 weeks into it, sadness falls.
The reality of what’s been lost and their collected trauma makes itself
known.
“Why bother?” people say. “This
will never be like it was.”
The elders grieve. Gone are the
days of 2 lane roads, booming orange groves.
Familiar faces are no more, friends have aged, many have died.
A sense of mortality and what’s been lost settles in; the people are
frozen.
So Haggai speaks a word from God
He says “Were things really as good as they seemed? Does different mean it’s incapable of being
glorious?”
Haggai says to them “Take courage oh people. Take courage for the Lord of Hosts is with
you.”
“Take courage because God’s Spirit is with you. Take courage because God will rain down upon
you the gifts of Heaven.”
God says to them “I have not forgotten you. I made a promise to your ancestors in Egypt that
I am with you.”
“Take courage,” God says. “I will
shake things up so that you are blessed.”
Haggai says “See how God can make all things new. Stop being stuck in the past and dwelling on images
of former glory. From this day on, move forward
and see how God will bless you.”
His words don’t imply that things will be simply smooth; they offer no
timeline. He focuses them on one brick
at a time, one small victory with each step.
Knowing that no single building could ever contain the full presence of
the Lord, he calls upon them to let go of the past and be faithful to the
present.
As a result, the Temple is finished in 5 years after languishing for 6 decades.
By March 12 of 515 BCE the people enter into a space that is bigger, more
beautiful than the one that was before.
But even if it wasn’t grander, it doesn’t change that fact that God remembered
God’s promise and God is with them…
…Just as God is with us, even though things have changed much since 2020,
even as things change ever so swiftly now.
Soon Highlands won’t be the small, sleepy town of orange groves. With certainty we’ll be seeing more shops and
big-name stores.
Who knows what Emmanuel UCC will look like next year, next decade?
Things are not the same; things will not be the same.
We mourn. We grieve. We remember. We move on.
We take courage. We work. We
watch.
We wait to see what God is yet to do, trusting in God’s promise, trusting
that God is ready to pour down blessings upon us.
But to receive that blessing it means that we too are willing to have courage,
that we too are ready to step into a new tomorrow.
Let the light of Christ be our courage.
For that, we can say “Amen.”
2 comments:
Thoroughly enjoyed this blog. The comparison with Haggai was very timely to what is happening throughout Florida, not just Highlands County.
Thank you very much. You comment means very much to me.
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