{"id":284,"date":"2016-07-02T12:57:42","date_gmt":"2016-07-02T19:57:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.smallchelle.com\/?p=284"},"modified":"2016-07-02T12:57:42","modified_gmt":"2016-07-02T19:57:42","slug":"pillars-for-a-palace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smallchelle.com\/?p=284","title":{"rendered":"Pillars for a Palace"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sometimes when reading scripture we have that moment when a single verse seems to jump off the page. It\u2019s as if the Holy Spirit winks at us and says, \u201cHere ya go, this one\u2019s just for you.\u201d It\u2019s the light bulb going on, the \u201caha\u201d moment. I love when this happens. It will often spark a treasure hunt where I spend time cross referencing through scripture and googling about the bit that caught my interest. This has been one of those verses from me.<\/span><\/p>\n

May our sons in their youth
\n<\/span>be like plants full grown,
\n<\/span>our daughters like corner pillars
\n<\/span>cut for the structure of a palace;
\n<\/span>Psalm 144:12<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Last time we talked about the three things needed to bring our kids to fruit bearing maturity, the Word, prayer, and guidance through hardship. Today we look at pillars and how this relates to our kids. How they are chosen, their purpose, and what it means to be the corner of a palace.<\/p>\n

Cut for Beauty<\/span><\/h4>\n

Pillars are seen from the outside of a structure. Unlike modern construction which reduces everything to right angles and short ceilings, the pillars of the past were immense in size and beautiful. Some carved in simple channels others carved in ornate spirals. People travel for and wide just to glimpse what\u2019s left of the marvels of the ancient Greek and Roman buildings with their soaring columns and beautiful construction.<\/span><\/p>\n

Have you looked at your kids lately? Aren\u2019t they cute? Aren\u2019t they gorgeous? Aren\u2019t they fearfully and wonderfully made? Have you ever just stared at your sleeping child and thanked God for their presence in your life? Make sure your kids know you love them. Make sure they know you see them as gifts and blessings from God in your life. It is all too easy to become frustrated and exasperated, especially in the \u201cterrible two\u2019s\u201d or with a \u201cbroody teen.\u201d<\/p>\n

We don\u2019t have to be at odds with our children. We should be teaching them what true beauty is and then doing whatever we can to make sure they know how beautiful God has made them, inside and out. Tell them what Ephesians 2:10 tells us, they they are God\u2019s workmanship, his special works of art, made to show God\u2019s glory in who they are and all that they do.<\/p>\n

Cut for Strength<\/span><\/h4>\n

Pillars are strong, able to hold up very heavy loads in an incredibly stable support system. They connect the foundation to the roof beams. Often they were made from huge barrel shaped pieces of stone stacked on top of each other but the most impressive and strongest were cut from a single piece of stone. They were used in palaces, temples, and even tombs.<\/p>\n

Raw materials were cut from quarries and transported sometimes miles to where they were needed. Marble for a pillar was chosen by master builders for its inherent strength. It may be hard to look at your kids, typically the weakest members of society, and see how they could be pillars. Know that God has chosen them, before the foundation of the world, to be your children.<\/p>\n

He gives them strength for life the same way he gives us strength for life. The foundation they stand on is Christ and his word, the roof is the hope of heaven.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.\u201d<\/span> Matt 7:24-27<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Cut in Community<\/span><\/h4>\n

A single pillar can be used as a monument, a guidepost, or even a warning (like Lot\u2019s wife), but a single pillar cannot hold up a palace. Scripture through and through is about community and family. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac AND Jacob. When we pray we say \u201cOUR Father\u201d, and are encouraged over and over to love each other, serve each other and bear one another\u2019s burdens.<\/p>\n

A palace is full of pillars! They work together, standing on the same foundation, holding up the same roof, and the more pillars there are the more shelter they can hold up. As we strive to build our church community let\u2019s make sure we are encouraging our kids in the same kinds of Gospel centered relationships. We do this through kids ministry at church but also by building and modeling healthy Gospel relationships with other moms and dads at church.<\/p>\n

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:4-5<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

We can be more than just people who go to the same place to worship on Sundays. We really can build a Gospel community but it doesn\u2019t happen by accident. It takes time and intention.<\/p>\n

Further Reading<\/span><\/h4>\n

I hope this had been encouraging. I found some really great articles and videos on my treasure hunt about pillars.<\/span><\/p>\n

This one is about the historical use of pillars in ancient architecture and scripture.
\n<\/span>Encyclopedia Judaica: Pillar<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

How Stone is Quarried and Processed<\/a><\/p>\n

Wikipedia: Column<\/a><\/p>\n

A Marble sculpture from model to completion \u2013 video<\/a>
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<\/h6>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sometimes when reading scripture we have that moment when a single verse seems to jump off the page. It\u2019s as if the Holy Spirit winks at us and says, \u201cHere ya go, this one\u2019s just for you.\u201d It\u2019s the light bulb going on, the \u201caha\u201d moment. I love when this happens. It will often spark…<\/span><\/p>\n

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