Blog
It happened nearly a year ago that I finished renovating every room in my family’s century old home. Every wall. Every floor. Every light fixture and ceiling. Everything. And it felt great to be done.
But someone’s going to have to explain something to me. If I finished my house nearly a year ago, why have I spent thousands of dollars since blacktopping my driveway and running new electrical wire? Why, if my house was “done” last October, is there a mason at my house as I type this re-pointing my foundation? Why?
Perhaps, I wasn’t as done with my house as I thought I was. Or more accurately, perhaps you are never done with your house at all. No matter how much work, how many coats of paint, how durable a material you use as your floor, our homes are always (ALWAYS) in need of a little bit more.
And believe it or not, that’s exactly how it is with our faith. There is no moment in our lives where our faith is completely matured. There’s no moment where we have maxed out the growth our faith is capable of. Rather, our faith is like an old home. It can always use more tender love and care. Parts of it can use a little dusting off and cleaning. And sometimes the foundation itself needs to be repaired.
To be sure our tools aren’t brushes or hammers, but God certainly has given us everything we need to continue to grow in our faith and his love.
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Our prayer life draws us more intimately to his presence.
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Our study of the Bible reveals his love and purpose for our lives.
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Our worship together centers our being on the one from whom all things flow.
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Our life together helps us both to support and hold one another accountable.
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Our giving strengthens our faith that God will continue to open his own hand.
We have the tools, and God gives us what it takes to nurture faith in our lives and in others. God even sends his Spirit who, as the book of Romans (8:16) says, helps us call him Father.
In a letter Peter wrote to Christians in every time and in every place, he concluded with a very specific exhortation: “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). GROW. He didn’t say “receive” grace. He didn’t say “know” Jesus. He said GROW. He must have known that faith is like an old house. Faith is always a work in progress.
May your faith and mine receive the work it needs, and may we never cease to grow in God’s grace.
