Yes, it's taken me over a week to post again (regardless of the time/date stamp on this one-I've been writing since then). But here's another semi-revelation from yours truly :)
This one's based on a very common, seemingly insignificant occurrence but I hope your heart will see the valuable lesson to be learned and perhaps change your thought process as it has mine.
Every day on my way to work, I pass First Christian Church of Paris that appears to be somewhat prominent in the community and seems to have been established for quite a while. Back before Christmas, this church decided that it was time to update their church sign, which at the time was two simple metal poles sticking out of the ground with the metal sign hanging between them. The day this project began, I saw 2 men-1 obviously the contractor hired to do the job and the other the pastor perhaps-on the site with a truckload of cement blocks/bricks and the tools necessary for mortar and bricklaying. "Oh good", I thought, "This shouldn't take long-maybe a couple of days. Just long enough to build a small, yet stately sign to improve the overall aesthetics of the church." On my way home that day I checked the location to see the base for the sign looking complete and ready for the sides and later the top. So I assumed it would be finished the next day or day after that at the latest. Shortly after 5pm on day 2 I drove by to see that a few more steps had been taken but with no end in sight. And again on day 3, there was still no sign of being near the end. After a week and a half of driving by and checking progress each time, I gave up hope that this seemingly small project would be finished anytime soon as each day I didn't see any more evidence that more work had been done.
These observations have been ongoing for the past six weeks or so and a couple of weeks ago I saw why the contractor had been taking so much longer than I thought he needed. It was at this point that I saw not only the center brick structure for the sign but the contractor had also built two square columns on either side of that stand that added even more prominence to the sign. I'm sure the pastor of the church or whomever was placed over this project had instructed the worker to build those columns, they were just unexpected from an observer's point of view. And just this week, work has been completed. The simple, old sign still stands in close proximity to the new, stately one that matches the brick of the church but it almost fades in view of the recent addition.
Why is this such a significant chain of events? I do have a point-as usual. You see, as I continued to observe the careful actions taken by the contractor during this process, I noticed that not only did he do a beautiful job on the construction and completion of the sign, he also paid close attention to detail. He placed the bricks perfectly and also gave the mortar ample time to dry. This whole ordeal may seem insignificant to our "Name It & Claim It", "Blab It & Grab It" society but I'd like to share with you the spiritual implications that I noticed as I took the time to ponder the process.
In my spiritual mind, the contractor is played by the Holy Spirit, me and my life are represented by the bricks and mortar and the pastor (or whomever initiated the project) is God. In His almighty omniscience, God has a vision and plan for what my life will look like and who I will become over time. He uses His presence here on earth, the Holy Spirit, to lead and guide me as I journey through life making decisions and building myself and my past into the creation He intended. He can take a seemingly ugly pile of dirt and grass (me), combine it with the bricks and mortar of my life and create something beautiful that will stand firm and stately, declaring His glory. Ok, that part may not be too much of a stretch of the imagination. But I also noticed as this project developed, that so often we think we have finally figured God out-that we know our purpose in life and He must be finished with us. And just like I thought that the sign should have been completed after just the simple center stand was done, sometimes we humans get impatient and feel that God must be finished teaching us a lesson or that our destination has been reached. But in all actuality, God has something far more beautiful in mind for us. And He works through the Holy Spirit, just like that contractor did, to add even more beauty to an already beautiful person. Though He works continuously, there are times when He seems silent and we feel alone. But I'm learning that those moments should be relished because it is in those times that He allows the lessons we are learning to sink in and "dry" like the mortar. Even in my own life, I am amazed at the situations and things that I think are just right until God takes His master hands and perfects them into more beautifully perfect creations. And while this process is sometimes painful and hard to endure, the finished product is far beyond worth the pain and hurt and I am so thankful that God loves me enough to continue to cleanse, prune and improve me. None of us, especially me, is worthy of such goodness and faithfulness but in His vast wisdom and unending love, our God sees the desires of our hearts as we submit ourselves to Him. And He leads us along the path of His perfect will as we allow Him to be the Lord of the dance of our lives.
So be encouraged-just when you think all is said and done.....it's not. Be patient with others-you never know where they are in the process. He's still working on them just as He is you. And be open to the Master's hands-there's something more beautiful in the making and personally, I can't wait to see what it is!
Blessings,
Bethany
Ecclesiastes 3:11
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