Under Construction

A new house is going in across the street.

For two months, all that happened was the removal of the ‘For Sale’ sign. Neighbors questioned and wondered and watched. Then a construction company put up a sign indicating they would oversee building the home.

More time passed.

After several more months we watched as they cleared land and hauled away debris. We saw them create a driveway.

 Footers were dug in preparation for the foundation, and the plumber stubbed in the pipes where the plumbing will eventually go. A pole was set for the electric supply, and the electric company workers have been out to work on lines to the property.

Some lumber was delivered yesterday, and it is carefully stacked and covered to protect it from the weather.

Yet, all I see when I look out my front door is partially cleared land and a few stacks of lumber. Six months, and no house. When will they begin building?

They have begun building; I just can’t see the final product.

I cannot see the work done by the realtor and the bank. I was not at the county office when the permit was pulled. I have not seen the carefully drawn plans or the dreams of the couple who will one day live in the home.  If I judge by what I see, the efforts appear unsuccessful, but many necessary steps have been completed to bring the project to this point. Continued diligence will bring it to completion.

Construction takes time – in houses and in life.

I sometimes chafe at the construction process. Why can’t I just mature in my faith overnight? Why do I have to study and go through trials? Why does it take so long to see change? Why doesn’t God just zap me into the perfect Christian?

Is God really working?

When I think about this, I go back to an oft quoted verse from the Old Testament.

I Samuel 16:7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

Samuel was worried about anointing David as King of Israel, but God assured Samuel that He knew what He was doing. He could see beyond what Samuel could see.

He still can. He looks inside of me, and He sees changes occurring as His word takes root in my heart.

When I chafe at delays and discomforts, and when I fret over my failures and what I consider to be a lack of progress, I remind myself, “God knows what He is doing, and He can see so much more than I can see.”

He is busy preparing and building my heart and my life for what is to come. He is molding me into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).

I may not understand all the preparation and work He is doing in my life, but I can trust Him to finish it.

Philippians 1: ⁶ Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Perhaps A. M. Overton was thinking about being ‘under construction’ when he penned this poem in 1932.

He Maketh No Mistake

My Father's way may twist and turn,My heart may throb and ache,But in my soul I'm glad I know,He maketh no mistake.My cherished plans may go astray,My hopes may fade away,But still I'll trust my Lord to leadFor He doth know the way.Though night be dark and it may seemThat day will never break;I'll pin my faith, my all in Him,He maketh no mistake.There's so much now I cannot see,My eyesight's far too dim;But come what may, I'll simply trustAnd leave it all to Him.For by and by the mist will liftAnd plain it all He'll make,Through all the way, though dark to me,He made not one mistake.

Poem: He Maketh No Mistake by A. M. Overton (poetrynook.com)

Photo – Courtesy of Pexel