Under Construction: The Ribbon Cutting
The school year is finished, and many students are excited to be on summer break. Yet, we know that while the work of this school year is finished, God's work is never finished as we continue to grow in Him. In this post, Pastor Jon Eveland shares his thoughts on what was our final monthly theme for the school year, "The Ribbon Cutting."
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| 2019 8th grade graduation |
A ribbon cutting often generates excitement, enthusiasm, and anticipation. Ribbon cuttings indicate a grand opening, an opening ceremony, the start of an event, or often times point to the opening of a newly constructed facility or an official groundbreaking – beginning the laborious task and grunt work of construction and creating something functional, beautiful and new.
Orange City Christian is no stranger to the latter right now – the building, currently under construction in reality, but also the faculty, staff, students and families under construction spiritually and in their relationship with the triune God. There are many parallels, but one major distinction between the two – we as believers in Jesus Christ will never finish being Under Construction in this life on this side of eternity. We are constantly in an ongoing state of sanctification, becoming more like Christ and seeking Him, until we stand before our Maker, perfect, blameless, and righteous because of Christ’s atoning sacrifice for our sin, shame, and brokenness.
As we watch and anticipate the progress, the day-by-day physical changes and transformation of the construction on the OCCS facility, until its grand opening and dedication marks its completion, we must also be reminded of this month's theme verse from 2 Corinthians 5:1 which states, “For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.” We will be grateful, thankful, proud, and blessed because of the newness of the finished construction and the boundless possibilities that will take place in the new facility, but our hope and faith must not and cannot lie in what is “built by human hands.”
"For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands."
2 Corinthians 5:1
Our faith must be in Christ alone, with the hope of “an eternal house in heaven” someday in the future with our loving heavenly Father. Don’t get me wrong, it will definitely be fun to drive and walk by, seeing the daily visible progress of the facility. But, what gets me more excited and my blood pumping is to think about the ways in which all those connected to OCCS are and will be Under Construction in their faith in Jesus Christ and the seen and unseen ways in which the Spirit has worked and will be working – the day-to-day grunt work of spiritual discipline, the change and increase in growth, the transformation, and the bearing of much fruit! It is tough work to be in an ongoing state of Under Construction. Sometimes it is painful, victorious, filled with struggle, joy-filled, laborious, tedious, exciting, confusing, tiresome and glorious, but the Lord is near, has gone before us, and establishes our every step. What delight to experience the joy and pleasure of being in relationship with the Lord no matter our circumstance.
The book of Acts tells us that the Most High “does not live in houses made by human hands,” and we know that His Spirit has taken up residence and has made His dwelling inside of each of us who claim Jesus Christ as Lord. So as we navigate this path of being Under Construction, as the close of the school year seemingly brings finality to this year's theme, and as the construction on the building eventually ends and comes to a close – we know that the construction of our hearts, souls, and minds continues…until that glorious day of the most magnificent metaphorical “ribbon cutting” at heaven's gates, indicating our grand, beautiful, new, and marvelous entrance into eternity with our Savior! Take heart and take joy in being Under Construction by the Grand Designer!
Pastor Jon Eveland
Youth Pastor at Maurice Reformed Church
"...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
Philippians 1:6
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