I'm still in the A's

I may never get out of the A's.....(see my "A" words post a few days ago if you're not getting this!)

For the past couple of days He's had me meditate on "Architect and Builder". When I typed in "architect/builder" in my Bible study tools one verse popped up.

Hebrews 11:10 "He (Abraham)was looking forward to the city with foundations whose architect and builder is God." I look forward to that place....that heavenly home. But for right now, these words take a little different meaning.

In my pre-mommy days I worked for a fairly large retail contractor. The corporate headquarters are in Chattanooga and our specialty was/is shopping malls. However, we also built some pretty awesome corporate facilities and a huge amount of warehouse space for nationally known clients. One of the last projects I had the honor of seeing begin was the minor league ballpark in Chattanooga..such a cool project. (Go Lookouts!) It has now been nine years since I worked there and they have grown and expanded like you wouldn't believe. After a brief glance at their website, I see they have an office in California. Not bad, not bad......

I guess this is why these two words are so precious to me. Architect and Builder. They don't exactly scream precious or tender do they? Probably not to you, but to me they speak in a different way. A way that brings tears to my eyes and wonder to my heart.

I see the process. I see an architect sitting at his desk, tools in hand and a picture in his mind's eye. I see hours upon hours of planning. Sketching each intricate detail. He so tenderly makes sure it's just right. Each part of the process has to be perfect. There is no room for error. As important as the beauty of the final product is, the details of the core of that structure are 10 times as important. He knows the exact location of each beam, where each pipe is to be placed, and each wire to be run. There is nothing about this building unknown to him.

And then it begins. The site is prepared, the debris removed and the building process begins...I see those architectural drawings come to life as each trade takes their detailed, individualized set of plans and does their part to create this new structure.

The process is hard. Things don't always go as planned. Maybe it rains for weeks on end. Maybe the steel doesn't arrive on time. Maybe a subcontractor just doesn't show up when they are supposed to. But......

After years of planning, months of the building process, endless hours of meetings and conference calls, a lot of sweat and even a few changes along the way.....it's over. Done. Completed.

You stand back and look at the finished project and can't help but say wow...look what we did.

I'm not sure I can fathom how that architect feels at that point. Can you just imagine him standing at the curb looking at the structure in front of him? This massive thing was a picture in his mind's eye just a short time ago and now... here it is.

Architect and Builder...that is my God.

He has thought out plans for me and for you. (Jer. 29:11) He has very specific details that are vital to the construction of our lives and the work He has for us to do.

Sometimes we don't follow the plans do we. We wind up adding something that is just not on the original drawings. Can I tell you something really incredible about our Architect and Builder? He can take care of those things we "add on". It may take time, and it may take a whole lot of sweat, but He can correct it. I know because He has had to correct a few things in me!

Architect and Builder. MY personal Architect and Builder... YOUR personal Architect and Builder.

I want Him to look at my life and say "Now THAT is what I saw in my mind's eye when I thought of Stephanie."

Not for us Lord, not for us, but all for YOUR GLORY.....