GOD’S BUILDING by Mrs. J. M. Barrett

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 26, 1901

GOD’S BUILDING

By Mrs. J. M. Barrett

MRS. J. M. BARRETT

This house is our dear Lord’s body, and each piece of timber of which it is composed represents some attribute of His character. Each one of the Lord’s children is a piece of timber for His building. The Lord is the great Architect and Master Builder, and the plan of the building is His own character. He gathers His rough timbers, and marks each one with some attribute of His character. I saw this illustrated by a carpenter, who was building a house. He drew his plan of building; then, going to his pile of rough lumber, he selected such pieces as he needed, wrote a name on each one, and directed his workman to saw, and hew, and plane it, so that it might fit in its proper place in the building.

Just so God is selecting the timbers for His spiritual building. He marks them with a name,—one of the attributes of His character,—wisdom, knowledge, faith, etc.,—dividing to every man severally, as He will. Then He turns them over to His workmen—the conditions and environments with which He surrounds us—to be shaped and fitted, each for its proper place in His great building. He watches over the work, and will not allow us to be tempted more than we are able to bear; and though the refining process may be severe, and cause us to shed bitter tears, yet if we endure it, we shall be fitted to fill our proper place in His building.

As these things pass before me, how dare I look at the faults of my brethren and sisters? To the eyes of men they may appear rough, but God may have selected this rough piece of lumber and written on it a name, and that makes it precious in His sight. Even the weakest of His saints is dear to Him. Then, while He is refining and purifying, shall I criticise God’s workmanship?

Now each separate piece of timber is worthless if it abides alone; they must all be joined together to form the building. How are they joined?—By love. Col. 2:2. What is the sum total of all the attributes of God?—Love. Being rooted and grounded in love, and with Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith, we are united, and are “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed groweth together unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”

So by the pouring out of His Holy Spirit on His Church, God is joining His temple together, that He may represent to the world His character. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

Our Heavenly Father is waiting anxiously to see us willing to receive His Holy Spirit. Shall not “all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you,” that we may all come together in the perfect unity of the faith, and be filled with all the fullness of God?