7. Sandcastle

Crush my dreams, and build me new ones...

It was close to high tide, and this sand castle was built closer than the others. Beautiful sea shells and intricate details etched out with one of the dry rods nearby. Then, crash––in a few minutes it was gone––I realized I didn't really like this castle either. Built with imperfections, in the wrong spot, and at the wrong time. What I was seeking could not be built by me alone. It needed to be crafted with gentle hands, who knew when the tide would come, and where to build. So I searched, and he found me.

This image of continually trying to build our own kingdoms and enviably failing is something we seem to struggle with: either things may have went wrong or we find ourselves picking away at imperfections. We're missing something I the midst of our frustration, after watching our castles crumble. We're missing the point—that it was never meant to be built perfectly by our own hands. 

I've heard the Christmas story so many times, and over the years, layers of new realizations appear. A child was born for us, so that we can have the opportunity to know him and be saved. And in the process, that requires our own kingdoms to fall; sometimes old goals and dreams might need to fall away. It's not always easy, but necessary, because even though it's not clearly visible now, that kingdom we were looking to build can only be built by the one true King— Jesus. So I pray, that together we seek Him and the furtherment of his kingdom.

—Jem