What Was I Thinking? (Pt. 2)

March 9, 2006

So I was thinking about this. I’ve got the big picture—build a boat. It’s the step-by-step instructions I need help with. What ore? What tools? What action?

First, I have to accept that there is no need for me to have the entire instruction manual all at once. Unlike man-made instructions, there is no need for me to read ahead to better understand what the Lord is telling me now.

Second, rather than a linear set of instructions, where each piece clearly adds to the shape and function of the whole, I have to recognize that I am building something of great complexity. It’s more like a puzzle, where I work on a small section at a time, having no clear idea of where it fits into the whole. But I trust that I have all the necessary pieces and that they will indeed, eventually, all fit together to create the picture on the front of the box.

Lastly, I am not building with Tinker Toys or Lincoln Logs. I am building a grand masterpiece with many, many complex, interlocking parts. It requires a “build this, then set it aside and build this” approach. It’s only after I have several different segments completed that I will see how they all fit together to create something wonderful.