Under Renovation
I can hear the sounds of a saw next door. The renovations to the church are moving ahead quickly. In the meantime we "put up" with having to use only the north wing of the church for services while the main sanctuary and the south wing are being torn apart and then put back together. We'd hoped to get finished with the construction and the repainting by Christmas. It might not happen because renovating oftentimes takes more time that originally planned.
But what about the Christmas Eve program? We might still be somewhere in "rough draft" mode by the 24th of December. I apparently echoed someone's remarks when I said that if Christ wasn't above being born in a stable I guessed that we shouldn't be too bothered about having our Christmas Eve service in a less than perfect auditorium.
Less-than-what-it-should-be is sometimes an issue for us. That works in the spiritual realm as well since we are always "less than what we should be." The good news is that though renovations take time, even those that happen in the spiritual realm, the divine construction company is at work to guarantee that they will get done. The famous words of Paul in Romans 8:28 (NIV): "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" are followed by a clue as to what that purpose is. The apostle writes: "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son" (8:29, NIV).
It was predetermined by our Board and the membership that our church get renovated. It was predetermined by God that we look like Jesus. If the renovations to the church stopped, and things stayed as they are right now, none of us would be very happy. Just about the only way they could stop would be if the congregation insisted that it had to occupy that space. We had to get out of the way in order for the work to be done. In a similar way, "I" have to get out of the way if God is going to accomplish the renovations he has planned for my life. To become more like him requires a whole less of "me" in the way. As the "I" vacates the premises, God is able to fill those spaces with more Christlikeness.
Renovations are tedious. They are sometimes inconvenient and painful. Rebuilding takes time, oftentimes more than we planned. But the job does get done. At times a construction company may fail to complete its mandate. But God, who promises to accomplish his purposes in our lives and conform us to the image of his Son, never fails.The job will get done.
But what about the Christmas Eve program? We might still be somewhere in "rough draft" mode by the 24th of December. I apparently echoed someone's remarks when I said that if Christ wasn't above being born in a stable I guessed that we shouldn't be too bothered about having our Christmas Eve service in a less than perfect auditorium.
Less-than-what-it-should-be is sometimes an issue for us. That works in the spiritual realm as well since we are always "less than what we should be." The good news is that though renovations take time, even those that happen in the spiritual realm, the divine construction company is at work to guarantee that they will get done. The famous words of Paul in Romans 8:28 (NIV): "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" are followed by a clue as to what that purpose is. The apostle writes: "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son" (8:29, NIV).
It was predetermined by our Board and the membership that our church get renovated. It was predetermined by God that we look like Jesus. If the renovations to the church stopped, and things stayed as they are right now, none of us would be very happy. Just about the only way they could stop would be if the congregation insisted that it had to occupy that space. We had to get out of the way in order for the work to be done. In a similar way, "I" have to get out of the way if God is going to accomplish the renovations he has planned for my life. To become more like him requires a whole less of "me" in the way. As the "I" vacates the premises, God is able to fill those spaces with more Christlikeness.
Renovations are tedious. They are sometimes inconvenient and painful. Rebuilding takes time, oftentimes more than we planned. But the job does get done. At times a construction company may fail to complete its mandate. But God, who promises to accomplish his purposes in our lives and conform us to the image of his Son, never fails.The job will get done.
WOW! Lynda, this is a purely inspired article! Thank you for sharing His word! "As the "I" vacates the premises, God is able to fill those spaces with more Christlikeness." Love it!!
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