17 February 2017 - if the LORD does not build the city

[ Today's Readings ]

Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city
and a tower with its top in the sky,
and so make a name for ourselves;
otherwise we shall be scattered all over the earth."

What are we building? We may have good intentions. The people at Babel build a tower to prevent being scattered throughout the earth. They build a tower with its top in the heavens. They reach too far. They want too much. Earth is too far below heaven. Only arrogance tries to bridge the gap through human effort.

For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ (See Luke 14:28-30).

We need to look realistically at the prospects of our projects to see if they are actually within reach. Much of what we do is in order to save and preserve our lives.

For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake
and that of the Gospel will save it.

We cannot save our lives, ultimately. Death has the final say. But Jesus can save them. We can't bridge the gap from earth to heaven. But Jesus is the stairway between heaven and earth.
And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (See John 1:15).

So let us not try to do the things for which God wants us to rely on him. Our deepest and most true desires are for these things, for the kingdom, and for life everlasting. Even so, let us not reach out so as to take them. Let us reach out with open hands so as to receive them as Jesus offers them to us. Let us die to our own plans and efforts at life apart from God. Let us choose to live the abundant life he offers. It

The LORD brings to nought the plans of nations;
he foils the designs of peoples.
But the plan of the LORD stands forever;
the design of his heart, through all generations.