under construction part 2a

If you remember (or, if just look down the page a couple inches) you might recall being encouraged that we are (all) under construction, none of us complete, and that this is actually quite normal. There isn't one of us who are or will be whole until we see God face to face.

Under Construction Part 2A

...so relax, just a smidge and enjoy the process. Be patient with those around you who are less than polished... love the one who thinks they've made it...they'll figure it out someday. As for the rest of us, where do we go from here? Life and...

...living in the mess...
Most of us know that the most difficult time to build is when you live in what you are building. Life happens – we've dreamed our dreams, made our plans, assembled our lists, and checked them twice. We've made a (sort-of) budget and we think, and we're pretty sure, that we've counted the cost (Jesus and the tower, Nehemiah and the wall), and now, having done everything we need to do to start (and finish) our project, we are convinced we are ready (and even a bit eager) to begin to build. We make our first (of many) trip to Lowes, we believe – no we're sure! - that we've got everything we need... this time. We get home, we move some furniture, lay down a couple of drop clothes and we dive in – thud! phone rings... we roll up our sleeves again – umph! A knock at the door... waaahhh!...one of the kids needs help... our spouse wasn't ready for us to start... “did we decide to do it that way...?” they say. The game's on... friends call, “we're on our way over...” Grrrr! In a rush, we pick up the drop clothes, put the pile of tools and supplies in the corner, put the furniture back... and wait for the next opportunity... and, life happens.

Here's a truth that we don't very often consider, not only are we all under perpetual construction, but we live in the very thing that is being built. And frankly, life happens.

...shouldn't I be a finished by now?
I think a big part of our frustration, especially as Christ followers, is that we expect to be done, a finished product, with nice measurable results. We believe the construction should be, will be, done one day, in our lifetime. We dream our dreams, make our lists, we do everything we think we should and have been taught to do to build this life... and, what? Life happens. Remember what my old acquaintance Mike said earlier? “...a faith which is unfinished, incomplete, and inexperienced. Messy Spirituality is a celebration of a discipleship which is under construction.” Yaconelli page 26-27

We just have this expectation that we should be complete. We sit and wait for that moment to come when we can breathe that (perpetual) sigh of relief, sit back and say “whew! I'm glad that's done!” but that day never seems to come. Even when we thought it was here, you know, we've conquered this task, finished that job, survived another moment of trial – relieved, we stop, take a moment to catch our breath, sigh that sigh, lean back and... as my friend Dolly Parton would so whimsically sing “here you come again” (can you hear the tune? I know, it's old – go get a 45... or, I mean, go to youtube!) life happens! Again!

It's a daunting task – life is. Everyday we get up, and it starts right back in, little to no relief from the construction; the noise, the mess – the dusty, messiness of life's big and small construction project. Is it ever going to end?

Well, let's see. No! Nope. Sorry. Not in this life. Paul said it this way:
"...Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.” Philippians 3:12-13

see you very soon for under construction part 2b