Something Larger than Ourselves

“…you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages. This is my covenant with you…” 

Genesis 17:9-10

Abraham was 99 years old when God reminded him of their covenant. After Abraham, men through the ages have obeyed God and honored him. 

I think of the great cathedrals in Europe. These were made primarily to give glory to God. Of course there were foolish men who fed their vanity by building these masterpieces of stone but the men and women who worked on these medieval churches were mostly poor, dirt poor. They had no power tools, or big cranes and machines. There were no modern engineering computations. It was often a community effort, with whole towns and villages contributing labor, an assembly line of craftsmen working with stone, wood and iron. 

These men and women who were involved in the construction of these Gothic soaring spires, and stained glass windows, and the patrons who supplied the money needed, were all part of building something larger than oneself. Most of the time, they did not even see the cathedral finished. 

Today, we in the Church are also part of something larger than ourselves. We are part of a long line of believers keeping our covenant with God, on a pilgrim journey, along with other pilgrims in this magnificent plan of God for mankind. We may not be there at the end, when the last trumpet blares, but day to day, we can do something to build the Church, the people of God, as we call our brethren on, encourage and inspire, and fulfill God’s purpose for us here on earth.