Do you ever wonder if you’ll get to the end of your hardship?
Disappointed, I thought I missed it. Turns out, I was just in time. The building was not completed on the expected date. Neither is my journey, or yours, but I know God is at work, even when I don’t see Him or hear Him. He has a plan.
2 Corinthians 4:16, “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” NLT
DROWNED OUT BY NOISE
Tomorrow is a special day for our church. We will worship in a brand new sanctuary. In preparation our members have taken shifts to read the word of God – all of it. As I sat in the balcony waiting my turn, I saw men God at work.
The soft voice was barely audible and I couldn’t make out her words from the book of Matthew over the hissing, whirring, roaring and clinking; not exactly the sounds you expect to hear in the sanctuary. While I strained my ears, my eyes were riveted on the altar; the very place I knelt and wrote a name with a Sharpie pen a few weeks ago. The hidden name is now covered but forever engraved in the sanctuary.
Deuteronomy 6:9, “Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” NIV
MEN AT WORK
A man stood with a white tank in one hand (like the ones filled with propane for the grill) and in the other hand he held a nozzle attached to a long hose. He sprayed something and it looked like important work though it didn’t make sense to me. In the far aisle, a group of men in hard hats huddled around one who waved his arm as he gave instructions to men who seemed eager to follow them. Two men walked around testing chairs, tightening a bolt here and tapping with a mallet there. Sunday these seats will be filled with people for the first time, so it’s a probably a good idea not to let worshipers collapse into the floor. Most amusing was two men who used a shop vacuum to clean their clothes. Apparently, they got dirty while they worked.
2 Timothy 3:17, “so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” NIV
ALMOST READY
Tomorrow a crowd will reverently enter the new sanctuary with awe; every seat tested and strong, the finishing touches on the altar complete and the mess cleaned up. And that name written on the altar will not be visible to anyone but God. Most of our members haven’t seen any of the hard hat clad workers, seen the foreman directing or heard the noises of construction. But the evidence of their labor is clear.
Nehemiah 8:3, “And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. An the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.” ESV
CONSTRUCTION ZONE
God is at work in my life and yours too. It may not be obvious, it may not make sense, it may even feel messy, but He is preparing a place for worship. He doesn’t mind the noise or getting dirty. You may have to strain to hear the whisper of His gentle words, but He is there and He is at work, even when we cannot see Him or hear Him.
Our lives are under construction by capable, loving, eternal hands.
Hebrews 11:10, “For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” HCSB
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May the Holy Spirit move among the people in your new sanctuary. Great post.
It was amazing!
Awesome!!