My guest today Eleanor Gustafson is doing a giveaway of one of her books. Winner gets to choice which one. Leave a blog comment below to enter the draw. TWEET THIS
I love cathedrals. Have you ever
visited one? I‘ve stood in many and even climbed to the tippy top of St. Paul’s
in London. The history of these magnificent buildings is fascinating. Did you
know that “a cathedral is symbolically a ship bearing the people of God through
the storms of life?” (Wikipedia) They were built as centers of worship for
large populations. One might argue that God’s Church is not a building. It is, rather, a community of believers who gather for
worship in whatever space is available.
But for Christians throughout the
ages, cathedrals were built to glorify God and were as grand and beautiful as
wealth and skill could produce.
In medieval times, the building of a
cathedral serves as a metaphor for believers. A quote from the novel, Pillars of the Earth, by Ken
Follett: PIC
The walls of a cathedral had to be not
just good, but perfect. The cathedral was for God. And because of a cathedral’s
great size, the slightest lean in the walls, the merest variation from the
absolutely true and level, could weaken the structure fatally.
The walls of the cathedral had to be
straight. The walls of our “temple” also
need to be straight. We can’t push that metaphor too far—it lacks grace—but it
jerks us away from any casual presumption on God’s grace. If you know anything
about the Old Testament Ark of the Covenant, housed in the Holy of holies, you
know that it did not allow for casual presumption. The high priest makes one
misstep or wrong move and he’s dead.
The God of the ark has not changed. He
demands perfection. Our sad reality is the fatal, fundamental flaws built into
our “walls.” BUT Jesus the Messiah came to make
our walls straight.
May the words of this song be our
prayer:
One holy temple, rising, of living
stones is made;
One sure foundation able to bear the
weight that’s laid
upon the cornerstone.
The Architect has laid the living
Church of Jesus
assembled
in His Name.
We sing, “Build us true;”
Your level measures straight.
We sing, “Build us strong;”
We know the hour’s late.
We sing, Build us tight;”
Divided houses fall.
Cement these stones You’ve fitted for
glory,
Lord of All. ~Steven James Weibley
ABOUT ELEANOR GUSTAFSON
Born
in a NJ county that had more cows than people.
Went
to Wheaton College IL.
Married
a multi-tasker, 3 kids, 8 grands.
Tried
on the cloak of writing; found it fit well.
God
first touched me through story, and he still speaks through story. I love Him
passionately.
Links:
Blog www.eleanorgustafson.com/
Twitter: @EgusEllie
Facebook: Ellie
Gustafson
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