During the summer of 2000 CRLC was in the middle of a building project that doubled our facility.

As the project developed, we noticed that some of the workers were a bit rough around the edges, so to speak. Some behavior, including language, was more suited for street, stadium or bar than for in the house of the Lord. We "corrected" a few individuals, but then we came across an even more effective solution.

We found a sign that was similar to one of those "men at work" signs we see all over the freeways at this time of year... However, it said, boldly, "God at work". It was an oversized sign... and we hung it from the joists of the cathedral ceiling of the gathering space. It was a whimsical way to proclaim the focus of the building project... and it was much more effective than anything we could say to the workers like: Hey, watch your language!

Today's Daily Reading is Psalm 127. I recall the many, many projects I have embraced that weren't necessarily focused first and foremost upon the guidance of the Lord...and how differently they unfolded compared to the others that have emerged from priorities or values that are Christ-centered. It isn't that "my" projects were necessarily ineffective or futile... But the fact is that they were rooted in my (or someone else's) human plans or ideas.

On the other hand, when the Lord, Christ, is the hub, the spokes, the very foundation of our efforts, the resulting structure (visible or not) is a manifestation of eternity! (How many stories have we heard about churches that remain strong and sure even in the face of buildings that have been burned or blown down!)

So.... as I assemble my plans, my blueprints, my tools and my materials for today, I turn to the master craftsman and builder of my life....

Whether I am working on a relationship, or a more organized environment, or some written material, or a worship experience, I know that the lasting, eternal effects will be those that are "built" by the Lord.