Nice mountain picture, pleasant forest, clear stream; idyllic!!! Imagine you had visited the mountain a few days prior to this one, but one problem... you are a bit nearsighted and can't see the background, only the stream. The beauty of the mountains and the sky was a wonderful thing to behold while you were there, but no all you have is its memory and this dim reflection in the foreground to appreciate the scene. Brings to mind the book of Haggai...
WEB: Haggai Chapter 1
[3] Then the Word of Yahweh came by Haggai, the prophet, saying, [4] “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies waste? [5] Now therefore this is what Yahweh of Armies says: Consider your ways. [6] You have sown much, and bring in little. You eat, but you don’t have enough. You drink, but you aren’t filled with drink. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm, and he who earns wages earns wages to put them into a bag with holes in it.”
[7] This is what Yahweh of Armies says: “Consider your ways. [8] Go up to the mountain, bring wood, and build the house. I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified,” says Yahweh. [9] “You looked for much, and, behold, it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says Yahweh of Armies, “Because of my house that lies waste, while each of you is busy with his own house. [10] Therefore for your sake the heavens withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit. [11] I called for a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on that which the ground brings forth, on men, on livestock, and on all the labor of the hands.”
[12] Then Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of Yahweh, their God, and the words of Haggai, the prophet, as Yahweh, their God, had sent him; and the people feared Yahweh.
[13] Then Haggai, Yahweh’s messenger, spoke Yahweh’s message to the people, saying, “I am with you,” says Yahweh.
[14] Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of Yahweh of Armies, their God, [15] in the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.
WEB: Haggai Chapter 2
[3] ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Isn’t it in your eyes as nothing? [4] Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says Yahweh. ‘Be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ says Yahweh, ‘and work, for I am with you,’ says Yahweh of Armies.
To me, the book of Haggai is a book of hope; hope fulfilled!!! Sometimes people WILL ACTUALLY LISTEN TO GOD AND OBEY!!! However, there still are consequences for past actions. The Jews had returned from captivity and rebuilt the temple destroyed by the Babylonians. But, this new temple fell far short of its predecessor in glory. Even with that, God was with them, so it was magnificent because of his presence. There is a really good lesson here: you can't change the past, so don't even think about it. Just accept your current situation and be as happy as you can!!! Who knows... perhaps you will become someone God will use (like Haggai) and tomorrow may be the best day of your life!!!