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My husband Chris and I spent some formative years of our life planting a church from scratch in South Florida. We arrived armed with our strategic plan. We had our plans, but God had a better one. Lesson number one: God builds His Church His way and in His time. God is both a gracious Father and Master Architect. In a world plagued by consumerism, even in the Church, He must be the reference point, not us. Families generally live in a household. God is the Father, and we are His children. Those who are in Christ belong to a covenant family. Look around; these people are your brothers and sisters in Christ. You have been adopted. Family togetherness was God's building plan from before the foundation of the world for His purposes. "He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will" (Ephesians 1:5).
So, to understand how we are to behave in the household of God, we have to go back to the blueprints—His Word. Corporately we, as a body, are all growing into a holy temple. "You are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit" (Ephesians 2:19-22). There are no such things as individual stones that can decide where they fit in a building. God providentially chisels and places diverse stones together closer than close to facilitate the worship of Himself.
Our passage this week adds new architectural dimensions to consider. A buttress or foundation is essential to the stability of a building. A church is only as good as its truth-established foundation. Training women to think biblically is core to the building plan. Our women's ministries will have sure footing if they are Word-based. Studying the Scriptures together lays a firm foundation for life and ministry. Pillars draw our eyes upward as we appreciate both their beauty and stability. They also spread the load of providing shelter and a safe place to gather. They connect the vital parts of the building for meaningful use. Relationally-driven women's ministries intentionally support their leaders, create relational connections, and cultivate gospel cultures where others can gather and grow. Both buttresses and pillars give the church strength and attraction. The world we live in is proliferated with lies. As women in the church, we get the privilege of standing securely on the truth while adorning it in our lives so that as the world leans in and looks, they will believe the truth and live.
Your sister in Christ,
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