Opinion article by friends of Raviv’France
“May their roof be our floor!”
I remember hearing that quote for the first time and thinking: “is that really possible…”
Walking in the Sagrada Familia, I had a God-encounter. La Sagrada Familia is the famous Basilica of Barcelona. This huge cathedral is still being built. The architect, Antoni Gaudi, created it more than a hundred years ago. The construction started in 1882. Gaudi passed away in 1926. His dream was to demonstrate God’s glory through this building. He imagined a project that would take over 140 years to finish, the construction is expected to end in 2026. He knew he wouldn’t see the end of it. However, Gaudi trusted in the generations to come. He trusted that they would carry this project into fulfillment. That dream was not the dream of his generation, but of a generation he would never see the face of. On the foundations of the church, they built walls. On the walls, they built towers. Always higher. Gaudi’s roof literally became the floor of the architects coming after him.
Now, I’m starting to understand, that a dream according to the Father’s heart, cannot be accomplished in a lifetime.
The Old Testament tells us Abraham’s story of receiving a promise: “I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me”. Genesis 22: 17-18
God was faithful and gave Abraham a son in his old age. However, a son is not a multitude. Abraham’s name means “father of many. “The promise will be accomplished through his son, grandsons, the Israelites, and Jesus Christ.
I love family. I believe that it’s in the family that we find the most revelations of the trinity and our relationship with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. I come from a long line of pastors, missionaries, evangelists. On my dad’s side, I’m the seventh generation serving God in ministry. That spiritual inheritance belongs to me. I stand on the shoulder of my Fathers. The dream of my father’s grand-father was that one of his grand-kids would become a pastor. All his life, he saved money and prayed into that. Today, four of them are pastors, one of them being my dad.
His dream, like Abraham’s, was fulfilled through the generations.
In the Gospel of John, we hear about fruits that remain (John 15 :16). I believe with all my heart, that the fruits that remain are our natural and spiritual children. At the end of the day, what will count are not church programs, a great worship band, a good preach. Our money, our house, and our accomplishments won’t be sustained; but our children and our grand-children are eternal fruits.
“May their roof be our floor”. I realize one something about that saying: it’s not about me. It’s about the God’s plan being established through the generations. It’s about His Kingdom advancing on earth!