Wisdom is needed in order to complete a work that's been started. It is definitely not an easy thing to complete a work that's been started. Many people live without completing the things that they have started. Things are remain as incomplete when we don't complete what has been started.
We are in the middle of constructing a new sanctuary. Through God's grace, we have purchased a 20-acre land. And for the past 3 years, we have completed the blueprints for the building and received a final approval from the City of Los Angeles to start the construction. We truly have gone through a long process to be where we are. The actual construction will begin soon after the "Groundbreaking Worship Ceremony' on July 23rd. We are expecting the construction to last for about 15 months. How can we complete the construction of the new sanctuary? We must learn the wisdom of completing the work that has been started through the Word of God.
First, we can complete the work that has been started when God's good hands help us (Nehemiah 2:8). When Nehemiah was restoring the wall of Jerusalem, he began with prayer. He knew that he couldn't complete the task that was given to him without the help of God's good hands. No matter how much we try, we will not be able to complete any task without God's help. In order to complete the task of the restoration of the wall of Jerusalem, Nehemiah relied on God from the beginning to the end.
Second, we can complete the work that has been started by preparing well. When building of the temple of God, David had prepared for a very long time. Although he had received architectural planning for the temple from God, he needed to work together with the people of Israel to gather all the resources needed for the temple. Afterwards, he entrusted Solomon for the task of doing the construction of the temple. God showed the pattern of the temple to David, but He did not build the temple for David. We must repeatedly discern well between the work God does and the work we must do. When we prepare well, the process of completing the task can be smooth.
Third, we can complete the work that has been started by working according to the procedures. The devil came to Jesus and tempted him by saying, "Command the stones to become loaves of bread." The temptation of the devil was a temptation to ignore orders and procedures. It was a temptation of hastiness. It was a temptation of taking a shortcut instead of walking in the right path. The reason Jesus was tempted to make the stones into loaves of bread was because he had an ability to make stones into loaves of bread. However, Jesus did not make the stones into loaves of bread. Jesus is the one who creates the order of nature. In order to make bread, you must plant the seeds first. In addition, after cultivating the seeds until fruition, you can make the bread with the fruit and eat it afterwards. A wise person walks in the right path. Through my life experiences, I have learned that the right path is the best shortcut in life. We have been putting high value on the orders and procedures in our preparation for the building of new sanctuary, and we will continue to value them with all of our hearts.
Fourth, we can complete the work that has been started by working together. No one person can accomplish God's great work by one's individual strength. God wants his people to work together to accomplish the God-given task. The Triune God always works together. The greatest strength comes from working together in one heart. Beautiful cooperation is made through unified desire, heart, support, and language.
Fifth, we can complete the work that has been started by overcoming obstacles. We face many obstacles in the process of accomplishing the task. No task is without obstacles. Life is not an easy playground, but rather a fierce battleground. For such reason, we must not put our guard down. We always have to be awakened. Until now, we have overcome various obstacles through God's help. And we will continue to overcome them in the future. However, we must not treat the obstacles as though they were not a big deal, and we need not be fearful in advance because of the size of the task. We can accomplish the God-given task when we move forward one step at a time with all our hearts.
A person of God must cultivate a heart of endurance with a beginner's heart. A beginner's heart is the first heart. It's a humble heart that is faithful to the basics. A heart of endurance is the heart that accomplishes the task. It is a heart that finishes well. A heart of endurance comes when you discover the value in the work that you're doing. It comes when you place significance to your work. A heart of endurance comes through encouragement and through the power of the Holy Spirit. "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts" (Zechariah 4:6). Let us rely on the Holy Spirit together. Let us accomplish the task of the building of our new sanctuary that we have started through the wisdom and the power of the Holy Spirit. I thank you again for the prayers and sacrifices that you make for the building of sanctuary.
Reverend Joshua Choon-Min Kang is the senior pastor of New Life Vision Church, located in Los Angeles. This is one of the weekly letters he writes to his congregation. For the original, visit www.nlvc.org.
