Every building starts with a plan. Nobody pours concrete or stacks bricks at random and hopes that it miraculously turns into a home. No, it requires months, and sometimes even years, of planning ahead of time. Every small detail on the blueprint has a purpose, and it is the architect’s job to make sure everything is thought out beforehand. The architect sees the end from the beginning.
In the book of 1 Kings, we read about a man named Solomon, the son of King David, who inherited the throne of Israel when the nation was growing in strength and influence. One of the great tasks that God gave him to do as king was to build a Temple, a permanent dwelling place for God’s presence. Up until that point, the Israelites had carried the Tabernacle, a moveable sanctuary, through the wilderness and into the promised land. But Solomon’s Temple would be different. It was meant to be a permanent reflection of God’s glory with His people and the center of the nation’s faith (1 Kings 6:12-13).
God gave Solomon exact instructions for how it should be built. Every stone, every room, even the gold on the walls had a place and a purpose (1 Kings 6:14-22). Another interesting fact about the building process was that the workers couldn’t use tools at the site itself. Each stone had to be dressed, cut, and shaped miles away at a quarry before it ever reached the Temple. That kind of preparation took time, patience, and precision, but it ensured the final structure would be perfect. It was a sign of honor and respect, not just for the work, but for God Himself (1 Kings 6:7). Overall, the entire project took seven years to complete (1 Kings 6:38).
I remember when I was a kid, my dad and I would build things together. I even got to see him and his brothers actually build a bunkhouse together. I would always want to hurry up the process so we could go play and have fun, but my dad always slowed down and made sure every small step was completed before moving onto the next one.
Just like with Solomon’s Temple and the projects I worked on with my dad, our lives are not meant to be rushed or built on guesswork. God has a plan for each of us, and He works behind the scenes, shaping, positioning, and preparing every small detail of our character. He sees the end from the beginning, just like an architect sees the finished building before the first stone has been laid. Every step matters, even when we can’t see it or understand it.
So today, remember the truth that you are a work in progress and have grace for yourself. Be aware of the lie inside that tells you, “you aren’t enough,” “you are unworthy of love because of what you have done,” or “you are too broken to have a future.” This is simply not the truth. The Bible tells us that “We are His handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, prepared in advance for us to walk in” (Ephesians 2:10). It also says that when we accepted Jesus by faith, our bodies became temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Nothing about us is random or accidental. God, the Architect, is patiently building each of us with care to reflect His glory. So trust the process, lean into His presence, and step forward with confidence in His plan.
The Bigger Picture: God is the Master Architect, carefully planning, preparing, and shaping every detail of our lives so we can walk in the purpose He designed for us.
The Bigger Picture 