AS I READ THE PAPERS AND LISTEN TO THE NEWS, there's one word that appears over and over: rebuilding. From the tsunami in Southeast Asia to the London and Bali bombings, the destruction left by recent hurricanes and earthquakes, and the desperate circumstances in war-torn Iraq and Afghanistan, it seems there are few places in the world today where the cry for rebuilding and renewal isn't an urgent one. And not just physical rebuilding of homes, schools, and places of worship, but a rebuilding of relationships—reunification with loved ones, attempts at making peace with enemies.
All rebuilding, no matter what type, has a spiritual basis. As any builder will tell you, a firm foundation begins with more than just cement or wood or stone. It starts with an idea. It begins with thoughts about structure and design. It takes shape with ideas about beauty, form, and function. And the best ideas come, and come together, as we appeal, through prayer, to the source of infinite creativity—to God. This reveals the spiritual basis—the firm foundation—for everything we build.
As a Christian, I look to the universal Christ—our link to God and the promise of God's love for us—as this firm foundation. This Christ is, in fact, the cement of Love, lending constancy and stability to a world where everything from politics to the weather can seem infinitely changeable. Christ sustains us and our endeavors by lifting our thought to where we can see that God is All.
