“Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?…You have planted much, but have harvested little…Give careful thought to your ways…Why? declares the Lord Almighty. Because of my house, which remains a ruin while each of you is busy with his own house…the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops.”
                                          Haggai 1:3-10 (NIV)
When I read these verses the first thing that came to mind was my grandparents house in the 70’s with all the paneled walls!  
They were all the rage. The really cool houses had them back then. Home Reno shows today are still trying to come up with ways to deal with the stuff.
Back in the time these verses were written paneled walls were a big deal too. It was something the royal families would have in their homes.

These scriptures tell about the time when the Israelites had come back to Jerusalem after their captivity. They were so grateful to God for bringing them back to their homeland that they immediately began to rebuild the temple. But then they got sidetracked and started to rebuild their own homes and stopped working on the temple. God makes it clear to them through the prophet Haggai that their inactiveness in completing what God had called them to do was the reason they were experiencing lack. He confirmed to them that their lagging in doing His will was withholding His blessing from their lives.
How important it is for us to quickly respond in obedience to what God calls us to do. How frustrated God must get with us when He brings us out of something and we let the excitement and thankfulness fade and give way to selfishness. So don’t put up any “paneled walls” in your life. Quickly, move forward in what God has called you to do!
Prayer
Father…Thank-you for patience in dealing with me. Please reveal any areas where I have held back in fulfilling your calling on my life. Help me to build up YOUR kingdom!  In Jesus Name…Amen.