The picture to the right is of the Cologne Cathedral. I took it while visiting Germany a few years ago.

Construction began in 1248 and after 225 years of construction the work was halted and it wasn’t until over 400 years later (in 1880) that the building was finished.

The two towers stand at 157 meters. That’s 11 meters taller than my home town’s tallest building (Edmonton, Canada). Inside it is just as impressive with its high ceilings and intricate stain glass windows. The amount of detail and the enormous size, given the tools they had to work with, makes this building a true wonder.

The men who started to build this cathedral knew that they would not live to see it finished. You have to let that sink in for a minute. Us westerners don’t like to be part in starting something that we can’t see the final result of. We want easy work and quick results.

But that isn’t going to work if we want to serve Jesus is it? God did not rush His plans, and is still not today. Jesus commanded us to make disciples. Making disciples takes a long time. But today we like to just get people to raise their hands and declare them saved and move on. We don’t actually want to get involved in making disciples, that’s too hard.

But the work isn’t about me. Success isn’t staring new projects so that I can get the glory at the ribbon cutting ceremony. Success is when those who follow after me (as I am following others) complete a job well started and maybe even improve on the original design.

Build to-day, then, strong and sure,
With a firm and ample base;
And ascending and secure
Shall to-morrow find its place.
~The Builders by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow