Ziplocked Legos

I’d like to say that many years ago as I was growing up I used to play and build with Legos. Being truthful though I’d have to add that even today there are still a few sets to be found laying in various parts of the house with a bin full of them in the garage. My brothers and I would strategically place castle, medieval and pirate characters around a base or a fortress of some kind. Like they say “You can take a kid away from Legos, but you can’t take Lego’s away from a kid…” Or something like that.

Tonight after I locked up the church ministry center I got a phone call. One of the fellow staff members was hoping I was still inside and hadn’t left yet. Unfortunately I said, I’m already on my way home just heading out of the parking lot. “Is everything ok?” I asked. As it turned out a small meltdown was taking place.

Apparently one of the young kids that night had left his Ziploc bag full of Legos in the church and the lady was wondering if we were still in the building to check for them. I’m sure she had gotten a call from a mom who was trying to console a panicked kid about his (or her) favorite Lego collection. At the time I was already leaving and was advised not to worry about it, that she would call one of the other staff members to see if she had found the missing multi-colored bricks.

I guess I kind of laughed a little at the thought of the kid at home having a “meltdown” about some toys. Here it is past ten-o-clock at night and I’m sure he’s sitting up in bed in his pajamas crying his eyes out. Amazing the importance these small toys have on his life.

And then of course, in God’s simple and gently ways, the spotlight is turned on me.

Tonight, for a second week in a row, one of our pastors read from Haggai 2:7. If you had asked me three weeks ago whether Haggai was a book in the Bible, I would’ve had to think a long, long time about that.

The verse speaks about God saying He will shake all the nations. He will shake them to fill His house with Glory. An interesting verse, an interesting thought and an interesting way that I see it being applied to my life.

There’s an allure to the “stuff” I can have in my life. An attraction to having something “newer” or “better” or “bigger” or “faster” things. All these things that I’m told I need in my life. All these things that everyone seems to have and they seem to bring happiness. All these things that can somehow become a priority over God in the amount of money, time or resources we give to them. Legos.

What are the things that I have in my life that God is going to shake? What things do I invest too much time or resources in? What things in my life do I take comfort in? The stuff that I have in my life that will someday be in the back of my closet in a Goodwill bag, does it take first place? Have I placed my comfort, security and peace of mind in something that will never last forever?

When I put all these things; careers, jobs, house, car, family, money, health on one side of the scale and put a righteous pursuit of God’s Heart on the other, which weighs heavier? Which side takes priority? Honestly?

When I look at the boys’ (or girls’) meltdown I think how trivial, they’re crying about Legos. How insignificant is that? To that child though, those Legos are comfort and security. What are the Ziplocked Lego bags in my life? The things that if God were to shake up a bit it would cause me to sit up at night crying in my pajamas in bed.

I want to desperately seek His Heart and intimately know His Love. To find security, comfort, peace and rest knowing who my safety and who my Father is. Knowing that whatever Legos are given or taken away from me in my days, none will match His smile on my life.

I contemplated turning around and going back to search for the lost treasure. However I was assured that it would be ok and I didn’t need to do that. Now as I sit at home writing this, I have a feeling the lesson the boy (or girl) is learning is soon to become my lesson as well.

Haggai 2:7
“…and I will shake all nations. And they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory, says the Lord of hosts”
(page 832 in my Bible, I checked the Table of Contents)

My prayer is that God would shake things out of me in order to bring glory to Him.

Thanks for reading