Sidewalk Closed
I work in a downtown area where there is always some type of tearing down and building up going on. I watched for months while a landmark high rise building was prepared for demolition and then my husband and I came downtown early one Saturday morning hoping to watch it fall. But they imploded it a few minutes early due to an approaching storm and we missed seeing the building fall. We heard and felt the blast, but all we saw was the dust and smoke after it crumbled to a heap inside the fences around the block where it once stood tall. More than six months later they are still cleaning up the debris to prepare the area for something new. For almost two years there have been signs on all of the corners around the area that say: SIDEWALK CLOSED.
In the block across the street from the imploded building there is a parking lot adjacent to another landmark high rise that has recently been converted from office space to luxury condominiums. This morning I noticed a fence around the area because they are tearing up and rebuilding the sidewalk to make it suitable for an entrance to a luxury condominium building. While they change the ordinary into the extravagant, they have posted a sign on the corner that says: SIDEWALK CLOSED.
And for over a year I've watched the tearing apart of a parking lot and the beginnings of a new building at the first corner of downtown as I drive in each morning from the east. The general contractor had a trailer parked in the space for many months advertising his involvement in the project. Now he has a sign with the same advertisement posted on the fence surrounding the area. According to the sign, his company slogan is "Building the Future". And guess what I noticed a couple of weeks ago? There is also a sign that says: SIDEWALK CLOSED.
When driving through downtown the closed sidewalks are not a problem at all. And I can sit in my car at stoplights and look over and see the progress in comfort and safety. However, when walking in the downtown area, a closed sidewalk is quite frustrating and adds steps and time to the journey. But the sidewalks are closed to protect pedestrians from getting too close to construction areas where they could easily be injured. And the closed sidewalks prevent curious people from getting prolonged and up-close views of the actual work that is being done and endangering their lives in the process. This is much like what Father does as He demolishes things in our lives and then cleans up the debris to prepare a place for something new. It is much like what He does when He is in the process of transforming the plain and simple things in our lives and making them extravagant and luxurious with His beautiful blessings and promise. And it is very much like what He does as He builds our future to fulfill His plans. He protects us from danger and keeps us at a distance by posting a sign that says: SIDEWALK CLOSED.
Psalm 138:7 says "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me." Father preserves my life by putting up the SIDEWALK CLOSED signs as I walk through the downtowns of life near the areas of demolition and construction. His hand is the fence and the closed sidewalk between me and the danger zones - even when I don't sense the danger - even when I approach the danger zones out of curiosity about the work and the future. Sometimes at the construction site there is an artist's rendering of what the new thing will look like when it is completed - just like sometimes Father gives me a picture of my future. But the building plans are not hanging on the fence just like Father doesn't usually reveal all the steps necessary to get to the future. He separates me from what He is doing for my preservation. The next verse in Psalm 138 says "The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever - do not abandon the work of your hands." He is closing the sidewalks and preserving my life so that He can fulfill His purpose for me - so He can build the future. And I can walk on the other side of the street and ponder from a distance in complete safety. And because He loves me and His love endures forever I can trust that He will not abandon the work He is doing to fulfill His purpose.
So when we are in the midst of tearing down and demolition and construction in our lives, we can trust that our loving Father has our preservation and the building of our future in His heart and mind. He may not reveal His plans for the new thing and He may not let us get close enough to watch the work that He is doing. But He is protecting us from danger and preserving us for the future He is building. And because He has exalted above all things His name and His word, we can praise Him for His love and faithfulness (Psalm 138:2) and we can trust that He is fulfilling His purposes for us in love. And He will not abandon the work of His hands. He will finish the project. And it will be a glorious new thing of extravagance that brings Him glory and causes us to sing of His ways! (Psalm 138:5)
When I see the SIDEWALK CLOSED signs in my life, I will say: BUILD ON, FATHER!
Amy
In the block across the street from the imploded building there is a parking lot adjacent to another landmark high rise that has recently been converted from office space to luxury condominiums. This morning I noticed a fence around the area because they are tearing up and rebuilding the sidewalk to make it suitable for an entrance to a luxury condominium building. While they change the ordinary into the extravagant, they have posted a sign on the corner that says: SIDEWALK CLOSED.
And for over a year I've watched the tearing apart of a parking lot and the beginnings of a new building at the first corner of downtown as I drive in each morning from the east. The general contractor had a trailer parked in the space for many months advertising his involvement in the project. Now he has a sign with the same advertisement posted on the fence surrounding the area. According to the sign, his company slogan is "Building the Future". And guess what I noticed a couple of weeks ago? There is also a sign that says: SIDEWALK CLOSED.
When driving through downtown the closed sidewalks are not a problem at all. And I can sit in my car at stoplights and look over and see the progress in comfort and safety. However, when walking in the downtown area, a closed sidewalk is quite frustrating and adds steps and time to the journey. But the sidewalks are closed to protect pedestrians from getting too close to construction areas where they could easily be injured. And the closed sidewalks prevent curious people from getting prolonged and up-close views of the actual work that is being done and endangering their lives in the process. This is much like what Father does as He demolishes things in our lives and then cleans up the debris to prepare a place for something new. It is much like what He does when He is in the process of transforming the plain and simple things in our lives and making them extravagant and luxurious with His beautiful blessings and promise. And it is very much like what He does as He builds our future to fulfill His plans. He protects us from danger and keeps us at a distance by posting a sign that says: SIDEWALK CLOSED.
Psalm 138:7 says "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me." Father preserves my life by putting up the SIDEWALK CLOSED signs as I walk through the downtowns of life near the areas of demolition and construction. His hand is the fence and the closed sidewalk between me and the danger zones - even when I don't sense the danger - even when I approach the danger zones out of curiosity about the work and the future. Sometimes at the construction site there is an artist's rendering of what the new thing will look like when it is completed - just like sometimes Father gives me a picture of my future. But the building plans are not hanging on the fence just like Father doesn't usually reveal all the steps necessary to get to the future. He separates me from what He is doing for my preservation. The next verse in Psalm 138 says "The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever - do not abandon the work of your hands." He is closing the sidewalks and preserving my life so that He can fulfill His purpose for me - so He can build the future. And I can walk on the other side of the street and ponder from a distance in complete safety. And because He loves me and His love endures forever I can trust that He will not abandon the work He is doing to fulfill His purpose.
So when we are in the midst of tearing down and demolition and construction in our lives, we can trust that our loving Father has our preservation and the building of our future in His heart and mind. He may not reveal His plans for the new thing and He may not let us get close enough to watch the work that He is doing. But He is protecting us from danger and preserving us for the future He is building. And because He has exalted above all things His name and His word, we can praise Him for His love and faithfulness (Psalm 138:2) and we can trust that He is fulfilling His purposes for us in love. And He will not abandon the work of His hands. He will finish the project. And it will be a glorious new thing of extravagance that brings Him glory and causes us to sing of His ways! (Psalm 138:5)
When I see the SIDEWALK CLOSED signs in my life, I will say: BUILD ON, FATHER!
Amy
The demolition process is just not fun friend but I can't wait for the end result! 2 Corinthians 5
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Demolition always means something new is coming, doesn't it, my sweet friend!? Anticipation is a good thing. Bless you!
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That's gold, I tell ya! Thanks, friend!
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Bless you BIG!! With lots of gold from His heart...
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