Destination RESToration: Call the Carpenter

This is part five of Destination RESToration. If you have not read the first four segments, I encourage you to do so before you move on to this section. Destination RESToration, DR Restored to Our Original Purpose, DR Preparing for Restoration, DR Restored Communion with God.

I have watched more than a few YouTube videos on how to make a variety of repairs. I occasionally call someone with more knowledge or wisdom than I have to guide me through a process. Sometimes it is a simple task, others… not so much. 

As I was building a table for my backyard, I was struggling with the legs, getting the angle right, attaching them properly. I kept hearing a voice in my head, saying “call the carpenter” or even phone a friend, while the independent, know it all was telling me “I could do it myself.” 

Dropping the would be table legs a dozen times trying to hold them just so, I got slivers, bruises and abrasions from hitting large pieces of lumber on my shin… multiple times. OUCH!

You may have heard the old phrase, “measure twice, cut once. I measured ten times and cut at least four different sets of legs and still didn’t get it right.

But I completed the table “all by myself,” then promptly realized that one side was an inch higher than the other. Ugh!!!  I then remembered the scripture about two working better than one… Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. Oops…

I definitely needed another set of hands while building the table. I contemplated what to do next. Do I take it apart??? Do I cut a bit off here or there? Then the voice started again… “Call the carpenter!”

Already having made a mess of things myself, I called my uncle, a master builder, not just a phone call but a video call so he could guide me through what I needed to do.

In about 10 minutes I had it fixed.

However, the way I fixed it left a permanent, sloping reminder that had I asked for help to begin with, from the carpenter or from a friend, (I mean I do have a German engineer living next door, for crying our loud!) I would not have had to make the correction after all of the hard work I had originally done. 

Isn’t that how we are in life, so often, too proud to ask for help. We don’t consult the Master Builder who knows the original design for our lives. We try to function independently of him and one another within the body of Christ.

We know this is no way to achieve success. The simple truth is found in Psalm 127; Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted.

We don’t want to ask for help or let anyone see our flaws. We make a mess of things and ask for help after the fact. Or worse, we make a mess and then just try to hide so no one will discover our failures. UGH… and Numbers 32:23 tells us “Be sure your sin will find you out.”

Scripture gives us the encouragement as to where our help comes from:

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. Psalms 121:1-2

We don’t read the instruction booklet He gave us with such clear guidelines for building our lives. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,” 2 Timothy 3;16

Why, why are we so stubborn?

Because building a God honoring life and subsequent restorations require the recognition of our depravity, dependence and need for repentance. It requires humility… and we are a proud people who need the debris of pride and self sufficiency removed from our hearts. 

My prayer for myself is that I seek God first, that I “call the Carpenter” before I bulldoze my way through the challenges life brings to me. I don’t want redos. I want to do it right the first time… whatever “it” is.

If you need help in your soul restoration, I encourage you to “call the Carpenter.” Seek God. Ask a friend for help. Ask your pastor or a trusted spiritual mentor. Don’t let pride stand in the way of you being a masterpiece designed and built by the Master Builder.

I believe the words spoken to the prophet Jeremiah are as true for us today as they were for him thousands of years ago:

“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3

I hope you are enjoying this series. Please feel free to share, to comment, or to ask questions. I hope to see you back next week for Destination RESToration: Remove, Rinse, & Rest.