When my wife and I were in England a few  years  ago, we  noticed  that nearly every house had a name posted on the outside. We had rented a 15th-century house called The Old Manor House. Next door was another old house called The Manor House. Up the road was The Abbey, with The Manse across the  street.

  

We had just built a new home and joked about giving it a name: ‘Home, Sweet Home: Better Than We Thought’ was appropriate – but a bit wordy! ‘Biggest Cheque We Ever Wrote’ was accurate – but somewhat crass!

  

As our reading describes, when people entered the temple precincts their attention would have been drawn to Jachin and Boaz, two massive pillars in front of the temple. In Hebrew Jachin means ‘He establishes’, and Boaz means ‘In God is strength’. These two names teach us that when God does the building, when his plans are honoured and followed, he will help see them through to completion.

  

When we have plans that need God’s help, we can look to him as visitors to the temple would have those two pillars. If our plans truly reside within God’s will, he will surely establish them and give us the strength to complete them.

Prayer: Dear Lord, in the name of Jesus, we pray for your will to be done in our lives. Amen