“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.
