Mark 13-14

"As Jesus was leaving the Temple that day, one of his disciples said, 'Teacher, look at these tremendous buildings! Look at the massive stones in the walls!' Jesus replied, 'These magnificent buildings will be so completely demolished that not one stone will be left on top of another.' " Mark 13:1-2 (NLT)

Every time I drive down Airport Road, and look at the Edmonton skyline, or when I see it as I approach downtown from the south side of the river, I think how beautiful the buildings look to me. Really. I'm not really sure why I find the sight so pleasing. I've seen some pretty impressive skylines -- New York, Chicago -- but none are so pleasing to me as the Edmonton skyline.

It is for sure interesting to think that everything, EVERYTHING, of a physical nature that we build will be dust at some point in time. Everything. Every house, every school, every highrise, every road.......every church.......will be dust. There is not one thing we can physically build today or tomorrow or a hundred years from now or whenever, that will be exempt from being flattened, eradicated, demolished, even irrelevant. Just as God sees beneath our outward appearance, directly to our heart, He sees right through the walls of any church to its heart.

All that being said, it makes it very interesting to be involved or a part of a church that is building a new home. It is perhaps wise to ponder how irrelevant we may become if we associate ourselves too strongly with a soon-to-be irrelevant building. The only thing relevant about our new home will be the relationships that develop within it -- that's it.

And so, I pray. Lord, I pray that we have done and continue to do the very best with what you have given us, in all possible categories -- giftings, personalities, funds, love, etc. I pray that we honor the old and the new relationships that will enter that building, and that we associate none of them with the building, but all of them with you. That while we walk and tour the facility, we actually walk in your Spirit. And that we remain walking in your Spirit everywhere else we go as well. Father, I pray that we please you. Amen.