1 Samuel 16:7
In his book, “The Great Bridge,” author and historian David McCullough tells the true account of all that went into the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. It was a massive project in its day, taking nearly 14 years to complete. Once it was finished, the bridge crossed the East River and connected Queens and Manhattan. At the time of its construction, the Brooklyn Bridge was the world’s foremost engineering marvel. Public interest in the project was high, and New Yorkers were thrilled to hear that work had officially begun. Each day, curious citizens would make their way to the banks of the East River and wonder what was going on. The project required the construction of large cassians, or underwater towers that were pressurized to remove water so workers could descend to the bottom of the river and begin the slow and arduous task of removing sediment and bedrock.
Three years into the project, however, many New Yorkers were getting antsy and disgruntled. Many made the assumption that nothing was happening. To dispel this myth, the Chief Engineer wrote a piece for the newspaper to ensure impatient New Yorkers that the most important work was still being done below the waterline. In other words, when people were assuming that work had come to a halt, the most important work was happening below the waterline where no one could see.
There is something within us that wants to see action. We live in a culture that demands instant results. We have come up with everything from instant oatmeal to instant on-demand movies. Ours is a results oriented society if ever has been one. But there is no such thing as instant, on-demand success in the Christian life. When God wants to do a real engineering marvel in a person’s life, He first works “below the waterline.” It is the work done behind the scenes in a person’s life that determines whether or not he or she will stand the test of time and challenge. Before David would serve God as Israel’s king, he was faithfully serving the Lord as a shepherd in obscurity. Though others weren’t paying attention, on those Judean hillsides was a king in making.
God does His best work beneath the surface of our lives where no one else can see. Before He can ever work through my life, He first has to work in my life. How might He be working in you right now?
For more, read 1 Samuel 16:1-13
