He Is Building A Palace *

The Psalmist wrote: “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.”   (Psalm 127:1)

C.S. Lewis made an insightful comment on building houses:

"Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on: you knew that those needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to?

The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of—throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself."  (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity)

Unless we are willing to let go and allow the Lord to build our lives, we will labor in vain to build our own. The vanity and unbelief of clinging to our own will denies us the privilege of experiencing Christ. There is no other way.

*The above was sent to me by my good friend, Steven.  It applies well to both Steps 3 and 6.

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