Friday, February 8, 2019 – Five Minute Friday – Build

I’m joining in with a group of writers for Five Minute Friday where we’re given a prompt (this week it’s BUILD) and write for five minutes about it.

In the corporate world there was a principle meant to remind you not to get too busy or lose focus, lest you get to the top of the ladder of success (whatever that meant) only to find that it was leaning against the wrong wall. There are conflicting opinions about who first coined the idea, but the principle itself comes from the Creator.

Unless the Lord builds the house . . .

I know that unless I start the day with my mind on things above, chances are that I will come to the end of it without having pressed In to the precious few important things. Unless I abide throughout it, I’ll likely make some wrong turns. Unless I reflect back at the end of the day, I will miss seeing some pretty big logs in my eye that have obstructed my vision, and I’ll stumble over the same things the following day.

. . . those who build it labour in vain

I’m not a builder or an architect. I’m neither smart nor strong enough to manage the project of my life, but the love and faithfulness of my Creator has proven to me that He’s got it for me. I do my human best to lean in, listen, and let the Master architect and builder run the project of my life.

But you know, I’ve got this tendency to grab the blueprints and say “let’s put this here” or “I don’t like where that’s going, let’s do this instead”. And it’s foolish, and it causes delays, and pieces of the thing implode, and we have to start over again on whole sections, and I keep forgetting that the minute I reach for those blueprints my efforts are for naught.

But I keep doing it.

Sometimes I realize quickly what I’ve done and hand the blueprints back, but not always. That love? That faithfulness? In it, the Master builder doesn’t smack me upside the head in annoyance at my forgetfulness. He lets me go on, and get myself wound up in knots until I see what I’m doing. Then we get to work together to put things right.

It’s an ongoing struggle, and one I expect I’ll have until I come to the end of my days. I’m so thankful for grace, and second chances, and that abiding love and faithfulness.

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I’m over at the InScribe Writers Online blog (https://inscribewritersonline.blogspot.com/2019/02/lying-fallow-by-linda-hoye.html) today talking about this season of lying fallow.