“When Solomon had finished building the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had achieved all he had desired to do, the Lord appeared to him a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. The Lord said to him: “I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.”1 Kings 9:1-3
Our Heavenly Father is in the business of temple building and when you got up this morning and looked into bathroom mirror and saw that sleepy eyed person looking back at you well please consider that person is a work in progress; His work is ongoing. I generally share photos of Haitian children smiling, washing hands, praying, playing or eating and they too are works progress as our Heavenly Father has big plans them. The photo today was taken at the Installation service of Pastor Paul Touloutte in Les Cayes. His Seminary education was complete and our Triune God is now using him to help with Temple Building in Les Cayes and surrounding cities. Young and old, in Haiti and in the U.S. we are works in progress and all have one thing in common. The source of greatest importance in our Temple is our Cornerstone; Jesus Christ. There is absolutely nothing that is impossible for us to accomplish as we bring people into His Kingdom as long as He remains our Cornerstone; priceless piece of our Temple. I am closing today with the words from the hymn ‘Christ is our Cornerstone’ that were written by an unknown author sometime in the 7th century and later translated by John Chandler in 1837.
“Christ is our Cornerstone, on Him alone we build; with His true saints alone the courts of heaven are filled. On His great love our hopes we place of present grace and joys above. Oh, then, with hymns of praise these hallowed courts shall ring; our voices we will raise the three in One to sing and thus proclaim in joyful song, both loud and long; that glorious name. Here, gracious God, do Thou forevermore draw nigh; accept each faithful vow and mark each suppliant sigh. In copious shower on all who pray each holy day; Thy blessing pour. Here may we gain from heaven the grace which we implore, and may that grace, once given, be with us evermore until that day when all the blest to endless rest are called away!”
Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you…Jay