fresh flowers for April 29

Reconstruction

©2005, Lani Wiens (with major input from Kelly)

a fresh flowers original

My husband, Kelly, was putting Christopher’s bed back together the other day. Because of his earlier difficulties we had to removed everything from his room, including his bed. As his behaviour improved we promised him that we would return his room furnishings. The bed is the first thing to be restored to him. As Kelly entered into the reconstruction project he learned a few lessons along the way that I’ll share with you today.

Lesson 1

Deconstruction is far easier and faster than reconstruction! When reconstructing something, give yourself LOTS of time. I am fairly certain that would apply to physical and spiritual structures.

Lesson 2

Remember where the pieces go! Remember lesson 1 and take the time to make sure that you have the pieces in the right place. We were expected at my parents for supper so Kelly glued things together and we headed out. When we got home all he would have to do is put on the last piece and the bed would be done. Right? Wrong!! Apparently there is only one way for each piece to fit and they are NOT interchangeable. Kelly discovered this little bit of news as they tried to put the drawers in. They wouldn’t go. After a little venting he took another careful look and realized that he had interchanged two pieces that could not be interchanged. He had wondered a little earlier why these little tabs were sticking up where no tabs had been before but didn’t figure it would make a big difference. It did.

Lessons Learned and Application

Later that evening after Christopher was sleeping soundly in his reconstructed bed (he is quite thrilled by this accomplishment, as are we) we chatted about these little lessons. Kelly reflected on how the church he is in has been deconstructed and is now being put together by the Lord through human vessels building with Him and under His direction. You can’t just take pieces or people and stick them wherever you think they fit. Being in a rush and not heeding the signs that indicate something is wrong will only lead to another complete deconstruction and further delay. Although even in this our Lord is patient and gives us a second chance as we learn. Careful and prayerful consideration of what the place of rest for our Lord Jesus Christ is supposed to look like must guide the re-builders to put people together in structures as He has designed it. When we do, not only will we have a structure for Jesus to come and rest (Christopher’s bed) but the storehouse components (drawers) of the place of rest will fit inside the structure, providing for the needs of the body to do everything our Father has planned for us to do each day.

The frustrating and deciding factor that indicated something wasn’t put together right in the structure was when it came time to insert those storehouse components (drawers). It was at this time that Kelly realized the two central pieces needed to be flipped upside down and change places (remember those little tabs). When he did that, and carefully fitted the structure, the drawers slid into place, ready to hold what they were made to hold. At that point he found out each of the three drawers were designed for one and only one space. They were not interchangeable either. Finally, everything fit together, the top was put on, the mattress put in place, the pillow, the sheet, the blanket and finally our son, he now has a place of rest again.

Our prayer is that our church, and every other church, would be built in the same way. Giving careful consideration to the plans of the Father. Fitting every piece into its given place so that the plans of the Lord can be accomplished. Not every piece is for storing, not every piece is a headboard. But all these pieces, fit together provide a resting place, not only for our Head, Jesus, but for the body of Christ as well.