BUILDING BLOCKS JUDE 20-21
Growing up, a lot of us played with building blocks. You could stack them one on top of the other to build a tower. Or, you could put them side by side to build a wall. You could use them to build a house or anything else you could imagine.
Now, a pile of blocks, or bricks, or a stack of wood can’t each do much on their own. But when you begin to arrange them in such a way that a form takes shape, they can become something great and useful to benefit a great number of people.
That same principle is true for people as well. A group of people scattered here and there don’t make a great impact on a situation. But when those people come together and work together a vital building emerges from their efforts.
Near the end of the letter of Jude, we hear him encouraging us to build our faith through prayer and through our community of fellow believers.
Prayer, simply described, is how we talk to God. We communicate with God through prayer. And in our prayers we relate to Him that we are putting our hope and our trust in Him. And, the more frequently we do that, the stronger and more intimate that relationship grows. We develop a deeper, personal relationship with God as we communicate with Him.
Just as we build faith through prayer, it is through the Community of believers that we also build faith. Keeping company with fellow believers is vital to building faith. We strengthen one another. We are told in Proverbs 27:17: “Iron sharpens iron. So one man or woman sharpens another.” Our Christian community builds our faith as we encourage each other.
Have you ever rubbed two sticks together to start a fire? Whether it is iron sharpening iron, or two stick rubbed together to start a fire, when people get together in community they sharpen the faith of one another and they fan the fire of one another’s faith.
Following Jesus is a life journey. Throughout that journey we experience ups and downs. At times, we find ourselves in a low in a valley. We may want to give up. Then, in a short time, we may be on the mountain top. That’s why it is so important to keep putting the building blocks of Prayer and Community together. We are stronger together. Whether life is going great or not going at all, God has given us ways to draw strength from Him and from His people.
So don’t do life alone. Start building your faith today. Take the message of this song with you as you build.
I'm working on the building. It's a true foundation. I'm holding up the blood-stained Banner for my Lord.
Well, I never get tired, tired, tired of working on the building. I'm going up to heaven to get my reward.