Dave Dishman

I’ve had the privilege of visiting dozens of cathedrals and churches in Europe. As a friend who traveled with me once said, Dave never sees a church he doesn’t want to wander into. It’s true. If the door’s open I’ll look in. Curious, last month my wife and I peeked into the open door of a cathedral in Spain and saw a wedding taking place, the bride resplendent in white and the groom in full military dress. Just think what we’d have missed had we not wandered in.

Many large cathedrals reach their heights thanks to an external support called a flying buttress. This structure consists of an arch bridging the gap between a tall, upper wall and a heavy freestanding base. It keeps the building from collapsing outward due to its weight, and allows for soaring walls and massive stained glass windows. The buttresses maintain the integrity of the cathedral.

In a letter to a young pastor, Paul reminded him of how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.

As Paul pointed out, our churches should stand as pillars and buttresses of truth, and he refers to the truth laid out in the Holy Scriptures. To fail to stand for the truth of God’s Word is like bulldozing the buttresses off a cathedral. It might look nice and clean, but after a few storms the walls collapse and the edifice lies in ruin.

In our day many church leaders bulldozed the buttresses of truth in favor of modernist interpretations of Scripture. Today their congregations and denominations face collapse. Their once beautiful buildings slowly drain parishioners, monuments to pride and sexual sin and fear of criticism.

A living church searches for truth and stands upon it. A vibrant church serves as a keeper and purveyor of truth. A godly church proclaims truth. Adherence to God’s truth as found in the Bible maintains the integrity of the church. Anything less leads to crumbling foundations and ruined lives.

1 Timothy 3:15

Photo: Buttresses of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris

As a person committed to the practice of prayer I often wonder, for whom should I pray? The Apostle Paul gives a simple answer—everyone. He wrote: I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.

Feels like a big task to pray for every person in the world. But Paul didn’t back down. He also added prayers for kings and all who are in high positions.

Paul helps us understand how prayer benefits ourselves and those around us. Indeed, Paul urges everyone who follows Jesus to pray for the leaders of our world so that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

Such prayers are part of God’s master plan. Praying in this way is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

My prayers, when offered up in the interest of others, lead to their benefit whether they follow God or not. The prayers of those who trust the Lord aid in the development of a peaceful and quiet society. We may seem a long way from peace and quiet, but just think where we might be without all the praying people in this world?

You and I bless others today simply by praying for them. Such acts are good and pleasing to the Lord. Here’s an example of a prayer mirroring this encouragement from Paul, one you and I can pray today:

Lord, we pray for the men and women leading our nations. We ask that you guide them and our societies towards peace and dignity. In so doing, open hearts to the knowledge of your truth. May all the peoples of the world understand there is but one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Amen.

1 Timothy 2:1-6

Photo by Elliot Gouy

To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.

It’s good to remember why the Christian faith exists, why every person in this world is born with a religious impulse. Beyond our insight exists a being far greater than we imagine.

One God exists and stands as the King of all ages. He lives from past to present to future. God stays inconspicuous, concealed to our limited vision. Yet this immortal, invisible God remains ever present.

In light of God’s overarching glory and power Paul urged his young charge Timothy to hold to the faith, keep a clear conscience, and fight the good fight.

May you and I do the same.

I Timothy 1:17-18

Photo by Michael Kroul

I headed out to the back yard to replace a sprinkler head. Colorado is dry and many yards employ an irrigation system to keep grass green and plants healthy. Over the years I’ve gotten good at fixing sprinklers, and I assumed this job would take an hour or less.

I turned the system on to diagnose the situation. As I manipulated the broken head I noticed water bubbling up from the ground a foot away. Uh-oh, a bigger problem, likely a crack in the line feeding water to the head. I turned the system off and began digging. The wet clay soil clung to my shovel, my trowel, my feet and my hands. Quagmire best describes the hole I was digging. Then I discovered the problem. A huge root from a lilac bush grew over the line feeding the head and cracked the riser.

This discovery led to expanding the hole and removing a section of the root (2″ in diameter), in order to get to the line. Digging and chopping and cursing. After clearing the root I got to the damage. Next I ran to the hardware store for parts. They didn’t have exactly what I wanted, so I tried a connection I thought should work. Bad decision. When I eventually got everything put together and turned on the water, the pressure in the line blew the sprinkler head off. Back to the hardware store for the specific part.

In the meantime I discovered another hole in a drip line in the garden. I fixed that and refocused. I put the new pieces together, including a fresh head as I’d damaged the first one, tightened the clamp, and turned on the water. Glory! No leaks or explosions, just water peacefully spraying over the yard. My one hour job took two full afternoons.

That first morning I had written this verse in my journal: Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. I could have used divine help with my sprinkler. A simple fix turned difficult, time-consuming and costly. Life gives us days like this, but I certainly don’t want every day to bring similar frustrations. Away from the Lord all my education, building of career and gathering of goods turns to vanity.

I labored when a simple fix turned into two days of digging and running back and forth to the hardware store. As I go through life it’s much better to let the Lord in on the building process rather than face the quagmire of going it alone.

Psalm 127:1

Photo by MARIOLA GROBELSKA