I may be new to the game but, as a civil engineer, the love of building is the heart and soul of my profession. From the initial drafting to the final bits of construction, I’ve always been fascinated with the level of detail, care, and consideration it takes to make our infrastructure a reality. To watch a tower rise from the ground up fills me with excitement. To watch a bridge methodically span a river ensnares my attention. The desire to build is engrained deep within my core.

Our God knows a thing or two about building as well. The Creator of the Universe has given us this world and enlisted us into the construction. In his infinite wisdom, we were gifted with the tools and guidance to build his kingdom on Earth. As Christians, we are called every day to recreate the world God has in mind.

All great building projects start as mere dreams; the same is true for the church. The world’s greatest towers were first fantasies in the minds of engineers. Similarly, we should be dreaming up new, creative ideas to build the kingdom right here in Arlington. Every project needs an end goal; as a church, ours should be focused squarely on spreading the love of God.

But if I can continue the analogy, it’s important to realize that a tower needs a firm foundation. Before the tower ever begins its lofty, upward climb, it is vital that consideration be put into its substructure. As Jarrod alluded to on Sunday, that applies to us as well. We need to be asking ourselves as a church if we are properly preparing for the day when God wants to build a tower in our midst. We might yearn for the opportunity to do great things in the Lord’s name; but are we doing the little things right first? Some may want to cry out, “Here we are Lord, send us”; but can we honestly say our hearts are prepared?

In our day to day finding time for meditation, confession, contemplation, and prayer is difficult to accomplish; however, discipline is an important facet of our spiritual lives and should not be ignored. Can we honestly say we have created the perfect culture and environment for fostering ambitious spiritual development? We would be wise to sharpen our focus and hone our skills before Jesus, the world’s greatest carpenter, calls on our building services.

Before we reach new heights as builders, we should first seek to reach new depths. To prepare a strong foundation day in and day out is a formidable challenge; fortunately spiritual challenge is crucial to our growth as Christians. And it is as we grow, God the creator can and will entrust us with even grander responsibilities. 

Zach Graves

Hey! My name is Zach Graves and I am a 24 year old, newly married, proud UTA alum. I have been going to First Arlington for about 4 years and am a transportation civil engineer (whatever that means). As it pertains to the Dallas Cowboys, I remain cautiously optimistic.