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"See, that's what I'm talking about," said Susan. "A bunch of ancient people whose names I can't even pronounce!" Her youth leader read on.

Now this is what the lord Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it."

When they hit verse 6, Susan said, "Stop! Read that again. That's how I feel all the time. I feel empty. I feel like I drink but my thirst is never satisfied. I never feel full. I don't ever have enough. And worst of all, I feel like I will never be truly satisfied."

Wow! What insight. Susan and her youth leader dug into the Book of Haggai to find out why the people were feeling so empty. Why had they planted so much but harvested little? Why did these people feel like there were holes in their pockets and their souls, just like Susan did?

If we are not careful, we can miss out on the amazing banquet God has set before us. If we settle for a weekly snack at church and never dig into God's Word between Sundays, it costs us more than we realize. We need to get past all of our excuses and fears, belly up to the table, and partake of the good things God has set before us.

Adapted from chapter 5 of Seismic Shifts by Kevin G. Harney (Zondervan, 2005). Order Seismic Shifts at ChristianBook.com. Used with permission.

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