The readings for today:

Psalm 84
1 Kings 6:1-4, 21-22
1 Corinthians 3:10-23

Psalm 84 is one of the beautiful lyrical psalms that has prompted the writing of more than a few hymns and worship songs.  Two that spring to mind are 'How Lovely Is Your Dwelling Place' from the Northumbria Community and 'Better is One Day' by Matt Redman, there are any number of others, and if you google you can find them

The teeny exerpt from 1 Kings refers to Solomon building the Temple and emphasises its gold overlay.

1 Corinthians uses the building metaphor to describe the work Paul began and which is continued by his successors - building with straw, wood or gold, etc.  It makes for rather scary reading, and is often misused or misunderstood I fear.  I have a sneaky suspicion that what is being said, in part, is that in this life we will never know what is 'straw' and what is, after all, 'gold'.  I also have a sense that the hay or straw building is not worthless, just maybe worth less than that which transpires to be gold.  We all think we know which is gold, which is wood, which is hay, have our own tests for soundness of doctrine or practice, but are they, of themselves, just more straw?  Hmm.

Maybe everything I have done, everything I will do, will turn out to be straw, fleeting and readily burned up - but at least I'll have tried.  A few years ago when the Fresh Expressions DVD  was in vogue, I recall one story that really spoke to me, from a Methodist minister, who said, when it came his time to stand before God and give an account of his life, he would, if nothing else be able to say, with conviction "I tried"

"The wise man built his house upon the rock..."

But with what did he build?

Was his a purely function house of stone and wood?

Or a palace furnished with gold and jewels?

Was it built to house his family

Or to shelter anyone who came by?

Paul said

(arrogantly, and dare I suggest inaccurately)

That he laid the foundation

He also said

(more accurately)

That Christ is the foundation

And he said

(mixing his metaphors)

We are both building and builder

A house built on rock will withstand the storm better than one built on sand

A house built of brick will last longer than one made of straw

But is it simply the case that stronger and more ornate is better?

What kind of Temple does God choose?

I try, Lord, I try

I don't always know what or how or where to build

But I try

I do my best, Lord, I do my best

I don't know if I choose wisely or not

But I do my best

Divine Craftsperson

Builder and weaver

Clothing the fields with flowers and grass

(which after all is here to day and tomorrow burned in the fire)

Feeding the birds

(who do not reap or sow, or build barns to store grain)

Building your church

(of misshapen and misaligned human stones)

Show me where I fit in your creating

Show me how I create with you

May my best

(flawed though it is)

Be acceptable to you.