The Unfinished House
By Elizabeth Cole
“And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.”
Philippians 1:6 (NLT)
By Elizabeth Cole
“And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.”
Philippians 1:6 (NLT)
In 1884, under instructions by a psychic to build a house and never finish, Sarah Winchester moved to the west coast and bought an eight-room farmhouse near San Jose. In her effort to appease angered spirits, she began building onto the house 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the next 38 years.
At the time of her death in 1922, Sarah had spent over $5 million dollars, without plans or blueprints, building a monstrosity that covered six acres with 160 rooms, 13 bathrooms, 6 kitchens, 40 staircases (including one that leads to nowhere but a ceiling), 47 fireplaces, 2,000 doors (including one that opens into a wall), 10,000 windows and was yet to be completed. Upon Sarah’s death, some say carpenters stopped without even hammering in the very nails they were working on. (1)
What a waste. Both a life and a home so futile, so pointless.
Unlike Sarah Winchester’s Mystery House, we have a Builder with a plan for His home. And interestingly, Jesus Himself identifies that home: “Those who love me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them” (John 14:23).
Oh, the intentionality of our Resident Architect and Builder. His plans are good, pleasing to Him and complete. Before beginning, He prepared in advance just what Kingdom purposes we’d serve. No staircase leading to nowhere, no useless door, no rambling incoherence of a structure. Rather, every experience, each season of suffering, times of joy—in fact, all circumstances—are valuable in building us into the person He’s had planned from the start. While we only see a house halfway under construction, He’s got the blueprint and a sightline into the future; He knows we’re one day closer to His ultimate reality for our lives.
And most encouraging? He has promised to finish the house. He will finish the house…down to the last hammered nail.
GOING DEEPER:
1. Where in your life do you question God’s involvement and plans? Is there an obedience issue you need to resolve?
2. If not, based on what you already know about Him, would you be willing to trust God’s Word and willingly submit to His work in you?
FURTHER READING:
Romans 8:28; Ephesians 1:11, 2:9-10; 2 Corinthians. 1:3-5
(1) gocalifornia.about.com/cs/sivalley/a/winchestertour.htm
Elizabeth is a wife, mother to three teen-aged daughters, and Director of Women’s Ministries at Oakwood Church.
