God is the Master Builder

identity in Christ day 5

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

 

  • Happy Morning to you, precious Mom! Light a candle, remembering that Jesus is the true light which lights every man. Ask Him to light you, bringing truth and revelation to your heart as you study.
  • Read 2 Corinthians 5: 1-21,  and write verse 17 in your journal.

God is the Master Builder!

Years ago, life found me in the deep and depressing throes of lonely motherhood. My husband and I had six children ranging from a baby that was only a few months old, to the oldest child being 12. The harsh reality of my many responsibilities as a homeschool mom amidst all the other duties and training of life left me feeling completely overwhelmed and discouraged, almost beyond remedy. There were many mornings I dreaded getting out of my warm, comfortable bed to face the day. I felt that God gave me more than I could handle, and I wanted to throw in the towel.

Around that time in my life, the Lord showed me a picture of my life. I saw a large, beautiful beach with sandcastles by the shore that I understood I had crafted by my own hands. Everything looked so beautiful from the outside, as I continued to admire and marvel at it, but soon something terrible began to happen. I saw big waves coming! No Lord, don’t let it happen, I cried! But it was too late. Before my very eyes, the waves came and destroyed everything I had made. Everything. Not one castle was left, only the bare seashore remained. The knowledge of what I had just witnessed was unbearably painful.

I wept bitterly, asking Jesus how long it would take to rebuild everything, knowing I didn’t have the strength or ability to do it all over again. The castles I had made in this vision were a picture of a self-made me. It included my family, children, husband, parenting beliefs, dreams, hopes, ideals, lies, wrong teaching, all the things in life I held dear…and now everything was destroyed!

It was then that I heard the voice of Jesus whisper to my heart, “How big and how beautiful do you want your house to be?” I knew in my deepest being that He wanted to give me a brand new identity, one built on Him and Truth. The castles I had built, as beautiful as they appeared, were only a white-washed shell of man-made traditions and ideals constructed by my own strength and the lies I had believed. These unrealistic ideals of myself and my children and everyone around me were terribly flawed and had brought so much disappointment.

My wrong belief system was not able to withstand the raging storms that plagued my life. I needed a new foundation, a new beginning, and Jesus had to wash it all away. I needed Him to teach me his ways and build again. Yes, Lord.

Jesus wants to create a new and beautiful identity in you, because every part of who you were created to be, can be found in Him.

Our children, grandchildren, husband, friends, job, and material possessions, though all of these are so dear to our heart, none of them should stamp or define who we are.  All humans, even those who are the most precious to us will let us down and disappoint us. Everything we own will pass away when we die.

When our life is over, the only thing that will remain is what we have done out of who we are in Christ.

Slowly God began to rebuild my house.  He is STILL building, but that is alright with me. Because his ways are eternal, it takes a longer time, but it is worth it all because He does things the right way! I know that He is not looking for my perfection, He’s looking for my surrender and a willing heart to obey.

Jesus wants to make us into a building of God, a house not made with human hands, that will last forever.

Dear friend, if Jesus is rebuilding new foundations in you, take heart. He will make all things new and better, bringing fresh hope in time!
Questions to ponder

  • Are there things in your life that God wants to rebuild?
  • Are you weary of trying to do things in your own strength, realizing it only brings disappointment? What are those things?
  • Let them go. Giving up our faulty foundations for His secure ones, are painful because it means we have to give up our ideals to embrace his truth.  Everything God does is perfect and better, and he is willing to teach us as imperfect as we are.
  • Ask Jesus to reveal more about himself to you. Maybe most of your house is securely built on him, yet you feel there are a few things that still seem shallow and unsure. Ask him to reveal His truth to solidify those areas and surrender completely to his best.

Faith-Filled Idea

  • Be brave and ask God to knock-out anything in your identity that may be unstable and false. Share with a friend. Don’t be afraid to ask God to reveal and replace lies with truth. Dive in and trust Jesus who is waiting to embrace you with open arms and set you free to be the true YOU!
  • If you do not know Jesus yet, today can be your day! Pray and ask the Father to reveal Him to you. If you know a trusted friend who is already a believer, ask her to help you. By reading the Bible, you will get a better understanding of who Jesus is, especially the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  As you follow and search the stories that reveal his character, you will begin to find Him, and He will speak your name with a new purpose! He will show you what you were created for and who you are meant to be! He will write brand new things on your heart, and set you free from all the bondages and lies of your past!
    **We at the Help Club For Moms would be thrilled if you would share your new found faith in Jesus with us! We will rejoice with you, encourage you and answer any questions you may have!

HCFM 3

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Join the Community! Answer today’s questions in the comment box so we can all get to know one another! We at the HCFM are praying for our online community to build relationships, even if they are across the country or the world! 🙂

-When we see ourselves the way God sees us, it allows us to let go of control and fear. What do you feel God is asking you to release into His trustworthy hands?

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Mari Jo Mast
Latest posts by Mari Jo Mast (see all)

13 Comments on “God is the Master Builder”

  1. “Our children, grandchildren, husband, friends, job, and material possessions…though all of these are so dear to our heart, none of them should stamp or define who we are.” This is so true!

    Thank you for sharing, Mari Jo! What a beautiful vision the Lord gave you. And to think, underneath all of that sand is a solid foundation of Jesus Christ!

    1. Hi Daphne! So great to hear from you! We all miss you here and can’t wait to do our skypes with you again at the HCFM’s. Hope all is well with you and your precious family. Thanks for sharing…amen! Blessings and love to you, my friend! 🙂 P.S…we love your updates from China!

    1. Hi Kristi! Good to hear from you…thank you for taking the time to share! Hope you’re having a blessed evening! ?

  2. Oh Mari Jo this is so beautiful! You bring me hope for what God is doing in my heart right now. I love how our Heavenly Father speaks to us right where we need it…every time. You my friend are beautiful inside and out❤️

    1. Hi Tara! I am so glad your heart is encouraged. I know that God is building beautiful foundations in you and your family (even though you may not see or feel it yet). I also know that they are being made more beautiful than you could ever imagine! I am standing on the sidelines and cheering you on…keep believing, because it will be worth it all! Thank you for your kind words… I think the same of you, my friend. ?

  3. Dear sweet Rachel, you bless me. Thank you for your vulnerability and transparency and for sharing. I am confident that God has a brilliant plan, and as you wait for it to be revealed, soak in His presence every day and learn from Him. I have no doubt that His plan is greater and more beautiful than you can even imagine, and as He reveals the change He has in store for you, rest in His goodness. You have knocked, and He will answer you! Love you sweet friend!

  4. I love the statement that when our life is over, the only things that remain is what we have done out of who we are in Christ.

    1. Thank you Joan, good to hear from you! Yes, it’s so very true. He knows all things ahead of time and instructs us from His greater vision. Blessings to you from all of us at the HCFM’s! 🙂

      1. This is so wonderful Mari Jo! I am so thankful for your wisdom! I appreciate your honesty about your struggles as a young mom. What a blessing it is to have people like you who encourage all of these young mama’s. You are such a blessing!

        1. Sweet Deb, you are an encouragement to me continually. Thank you for your faithfulness and showing me what a true friend is! You are a blessing to many! Love you! ?

  5. Thank you Mari Jo for todays devotional. I admire your honesty and faithfulness so much! I like that you gave readers the opportunity to accept Jesus and how you asked them to share what the Lord has revealed to them. That whole paragraph was encouraging, yet convicting and I loved it!

    Currently, I need to release the future to God. Specifically the next few years. I have become so consumed with having more babies, how this will affect my work with Young Life, and the timing of family commitments. Everything I am involved in is healthy and for the Kingdom, yet I have this strong feeling that change is coming. I need to slow down and soak in the Holy Spirit. I would love prayer for clear direction and also prayer against guilt. Slowing down my life is so hard for me because I feel like people will be dissapointed in me and I struggle with the fear of letting them down.

    I am praying and trying to be faithful knowing that God has a plan! Thanks. 🙂

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