“David found favor in God’s sight, and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob”- Acts 7:46 (NIV)
There was once a man in a certain village who was asked why he hadn’t built himself a house. “But why when we shall all die and leave these things behind!” he quipped. Don’t be shocked- this attitude is quite common, including among certain believers, who view taking on building projects as embracing materialism.
Far from it though God does take joy in erecting structures for personal use and His work.
Towards the end of his life, King David told his subjects, “He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. “ Now He said to me, ‘It is your son Solomon who shall build My house and My courts…Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the vestibule, its houses, its treasuries, its upper chambers, its inner chambers, and the place of the mercy seat” (I Chronicles 28:6-11).
After returning to Jerusalem, Nehemiah, noted, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace” (Nehemiah 2:17).
Wherever God’s people have been they have left a mark by building churches and cathedrals that litter and beautify landscapes all over the world. While some may view these as worldly projects, they do leave God’s finger prints on the earth.
But undertaking such projects is never easy. Solomon spent seven years building the temple of God (I Kings 6). Nehemiah faced opposition while rebuilding the wall. So much was the opposition that faced with threat of attack, “half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor... Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other” (Nehemiah 4: 16-17).
Today, what building project has God put on your heart? It could be a house to His glory. Or, maybe, for some other purposes, like a residence. May you do so with the skill and dedication of his servants long before who believed and trusted God revealing Himself through awesome building projects.
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, what a joy and blessing to join you in creation when we do set our hearts to build houses that give you glory, and so we pray you may enable us so, as we pray in Jesus’s name.
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06/05/2024 - 07/05/2024 All day“Do not confirm to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2)
Almost all cultivators are aware that if soils are used perpetually without rains but constantly under work they are deprived of all nutrients. So, though once productive, they lose all power to yield fresh crops as before. But so is our Christian life when we do not regularly feed our spirit life with the Word!
In our leading verse, the Apostle Paul is urging believers to “renew” their minds rather than make them stale, lest they end up losing all power to yield fruit. But how is this done? We renew our minds by constantly reading the Word of God, for there are always insights with God speaking to us afresh. Psalm 119:104-5 says, “I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” The Apostle Peter reminds us, “Like newborn babies hungry for milk, you should want the pure teaching that feeds your spirit. With it you can grow and be saved.” It is a beautiful illustration for any who have seen a hungry baby sucking the teats of a mother.
Renewing our minds is also by reading about the lives of people of faith who have walked before us and their created works. The Christian faith started in the first century after Jesus was crucified and resurrected from the dead. Now over two millenniums it has produced giants of faith who have shared their walk with God through inspired teachings that are a treasure to dig into. By scouring the writings of the great saints before us, listening to their recorded sermons, songs and preaching, which these days can be found on virtual medial channels like Yu tube, reading their biographies, our faith is renewed.
And then we also renew our faith through fellowship. When the Apostle Paul urges us, “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” ( Hebrews 10:25), he is reminding us that our faith cannot grow in isolation. During the Covid pandemic lockdown one bitter issue was denying Believers opportunity to meet fellow followers of Christ to share testimonies showing the work of God in their lives.
So today, if your faith is on a low keel, or you want it to flower, one thing you can’t help doing without is “renewing” your mind. The blessings to unfold are endless.
Prayer for today:Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, what a treasure we have of your rich Word to dig into always; books around us of faith to inspire us; and believers to share our faith- may we make use of these, this I pray in Jesus’ name.
