“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ (Luke 14:28-30)
I started sewing a dress. It’s too tight, and I need to rip out a seam. That dress was part of Wednesdays with Julee, one week we would have Bible Study and the next week we would sew. Then Julee went to be with God. She was only in her fifties. I need to finish that dress, but I don’t really want to. It’s a reminder that Julee can’t be with me now. Just because we need to do something, we won’t do it unless it’s a desire.
We know we should follow God, but we won’t until we want to. We need to pray for God to work in us. “For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13) Once we connect with what God made us to do, we want to keep doing it.
Perhaps as a child you spent hours building structures and space ships from Legos. You become a structural engineer and God wants you to build a tower. Structural engineers are usually practical, so they may sit down and figure out the monetary cost, but the cost of not building the tower is greater because you’re driven to do it. You’re like Noah building the ark. It didn’t matter that his neighbors got their entertainment laughing at him every day for building a ship on dry land. You have faith that God has a purpose for your tower and will give you the resources to complete the project.
Dearest Heavenly Father, work in me. Let our spirits connect so I know the desires of Your heart. Show me the people and projects you want me to help you with. Let Your desires become mine. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
I know that Julee’s passing was a huge loss to you. I have felt this way too, as I have lost several friends when they were far to young. It is a privilege to grow old. It is hard to see talented, loving people die when they are so young. God called them home for some reason, so there has to be acceptance of His will. Jody, I think you should finish the dress that you started with Julee. It would honor her and I bet she would love that you completed the dress. Think of how you would feel when you put it on the first time.
I’m not a very good seamstress, but Julee was. I’m not sure I can finish it without her.
If you would like, I can help when I am down there. I am a little rusty but I used to do a lot of sewing.
That would be nice. The dress is almost finished. The zipper is in and everything. The dress would even mean more with your love in it too. You can’t be too rusty. You made all those masks.