The Greatest Castle Never Built
Last week, Jason and I took some much-needed time off to rest and refresh ourselves. We spent a few days in northern Wales, taking in many sights, including three castles. They were all impressive, but my favourite was Beaumaris Castle. Now, there's a sight to behold! It's a massive fortress on the coast of Wales, with walls that stretch on for what seems like miles. But here's the thing: it was never finished. King Edward I had big plans for this castle but ran out of money before he could see it through to completion, leaving Beaumaris with the title “The Greatest Castle Never Built.” Bummer, right?
As I stood there, looking up at the imposing structure, I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for old Edward. He had such grand ambitions but didn't have the resources to make them a reality. It's like trying to build a skyscraper out of popsicle sticks. You can dream all you want, but you won’t get far without the right materials.
But then I started thinking about something else. You see, there's another Builder out there who never runs out of resources. He has an unlimited supply of everything we need to become the people He created us to be. And unlike Edward, He won’t give up on us before the job is done.
Yes, I'm talking about our Master Builder, Jesus Christ. As it says in Philippians 1:6, "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." In other words, God's not going to leave us half-finished. He will keep working on us until we're completed in Him.
Now, I don't know about you, but that's pretty encouraging to me. I mean, let's be real. We're all a work in progress, right? We've got our flaws, weaknesses, and areas that need improvement. But the good news is God's not finished with us yet. He's still working on us, chipping away at the rough edges and shaping us into the people He wants us to be.
So, what does that mean for us? Well, for starters, it means we can have confidence. We don't have to worry about whether or not we're good enough because God's got us covered. He won’t give up on us, no matter how often we fail or fall short.
However, this doesn’t absolve us of our responsibility. God’s work in us is not a one-sided effort. He expects us to play our part and be open to change and growth. This means we need to be receptive to His guidance and willing to put in the effort to follow Him. It’s a partnership, a collaboration between us and our Master Builder.
As I walked away from Beaumaris Castle, I couldn't help but feel a sense of peace. Sure, life can be tough, and there are times when it feels like we're not making any progress. Some days, it even feels like we’re back at square one. But with God on our side, we can have confidence that He has a plan for us, and He's not going to give up until we're everything He created us to be. And that, my friends, is something worth celebrating.