Today's post is written by the lovely and experienced Drafter by trade, Toni Lizana. Toni's expertise led her to a long career in the civil engineering industry. I recently asked Toni to share with me her thoughts on God as Architect. I believe you'll enjoy her response just as much as I have. God is so much more than "The Architect of the Universe." He does it all.
There must be a basic understanding of what an architect does and a knowledge of God to understand that He is too wonderful to be limited by our descriptions.
I was a drafter for a total of 32 years. I worked for mechanical engineers, architects, civil engineers, and structural engineers. As a drafter, I followed the instructions of the architect or engineer. An architects's focus is the building, though he is involved in all the other aspects as well. The building infrastructure (building foundation, framework, and utilities) are typically designed by a structural engineer, with respect to the architect's design. If the project involves industrial equipment, such as a hospital or food processing plant, a mechanical engineer may be required. A civil engineer is needed for drainage, roads, bridges, dams, airport runways, railways, parking lots, etc.
The purpose and location of the building determine the infrastructure. Soil reports, done by geotechnical engineers, are sometimes requires to determine soil stability. The is information can affect the type and method of construction used in the project. Things to consider in the building location are existing utilities and structures surrounding the site, as ell as land elevation. Wetlands, determined by the geotechnical report, must also be considered. Wetland areas are extremely important to the ecosystem and are protected. Wetland areas cannot be encroached upon without penalty. Land surveyors locate existing structures or utility appurtenances on the property. Sometimes underground utility pipes can be located based on the location of water meters, valves, sewer manholes, or other above ground items. Some utilities are found during construction. Cities are often called on to locate existing utilities for a construction site. Land elevations will effect the necessary elevation of the building for proper construction drainage. all these items can affect the cost of construction. The architect consults with the client, and other required engineers, and design to plan based on the requirements of the entire site construction and the budget provided by the owner. When the owner approves the preliminary design, the project is ready to be designed for construction. Often changes will be made throughout construction as required.
God is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). He creates us and protects us. He already knows everything in us, our soil. The things that no one can see. He knows all about the existing elements that affect us and made us who we are in this world. He put things in us that we don't see until we know Him. The foundation is already designed because it's Jesus. The price is already been paid because God is the owner and He gave Himself, in Jesus, to pay whatever was required. All it takes is our acceptance of His offer for God to build upon us, and in us, to complete us. It doesn't happen overnight, but our consent to the plan begins the process of completion.
At times, we are tempted to cross the boundaries of the protected wetland areas. In the natural, wetlands relate to the earth as kidneys relate to our bodies. Wetlands filter our water systems. They provide homes to endangered species. They maintain surface water flow during dry periods. An ecosystem is a geographic area or plants, animals, and other organisms, as well as weather and landscape, work together to form a bubble of life. They protect our well-being and prosperity and provide us with food, clean air, and fresh water. We must nurture the wetlands within us by protecting our internal ecosystem, our spirit man. In the Bible, physical water is often used to represent spiritual purification (Psalms 51:2 2, 7) (Titus 3:5) Jesus declared in John 6:35, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst." The water we need comes from God through His Word, the Holy Bible. A person can survive a long time on just bread and water, but Jesus is talking about righteousness, not physical food. The Bible tells us that God has placed the desire for eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). That's a desire we cannot fulfill no matter what we do. God provided the way with Jesus sacrifice on the cross. (2 Corinthians 5:21). The more we choose to live the truth of God's Word, the stronger we become. Fellowship with other Christians as necessary as well. Prayer is are consistent communication with God. This is our spiritual "ecosystem" that forms a sort of "bubble of life." It protects our well-being and prosperity and provides us with clean food, clean air, and freshwater.
Contact Toni Lizana here.