“UNDER CONSTRUCTION—BUT STILL CALLED”

A Zechariah-Fueled, Culturally-Relevant, Snark-Seasoned Spiritual Reality Check

Pictured is La Grande Familia in Spain.

Let’s rewind to Zechariah’s world for a moment.

God’s people had just stumbled back into Jerusalem after 70 years in Babylonian exile. Home sweet home—except not really. The city was in shambles, their economy was rougher than a dollar-store bath towel, and the temple—the central place of worship—looked like someone had dropped it into a cosmic blender.

The people were discouraged.
Tired.
Overwhelmed.
Spiritually numb.

And honestly… they were tempted to believe God had either forgotten about them or changed His mind about them.

Enter Zechariah—God’s hype man and hope dealer.

His job?
To look these worn-out rebuilders in the eyes and say:

“God is NOT done—
not with the temple,
not with this city,
and definitely not with you.”

That message carries straight into our mess today.

God Works in the Ruins

Because God never waits for a clean workspace to get started.

Zechariah’s audience wasn’t standing in a majestic city—they were standing in debris.
Imagine trying to rebuild God’s house while tripping over broken stones, burnt timbers, and the lingering memories of Babylon.

And this is where God says, through Zechariah:

“Tell the people: I’m building right here.
In the rubble.
In the ruins.
In the mess they think disqualifies them.”

It’s as if God was saying:
“Your circumstances are a construction site, not a dead end.”

In your life, the “ruins” might be a relationship that didn’t survive, a job that imploded, habits you’re fighting, or emotions that feel like they’re held together with dollar-store duct tape.

But God doesn’t tell Zechariah, “Come back when things look better.”
He says, “Speak now—because THIS is where I work.”

“If God waited for your life to get tidy, He’d never get anything done.”

Your Chaos Does Not Cancel God’s Calling

Seriously. God isn’t looking at your mess thinking,

“Yikes… never mind.”

The people thought the chaos around them meant God had withdrawn the assignment.
After all, if God was in this, shouldn’t things go smoother? Faster? Easier?

Zechariah steps in and basically says:
“Nope. Your calling is still intact—even if your environment looks like a spiritual yard sale.”

The temple rebuild wasn’t optional. It was part of their identity and obedience.

Just like rebuilding Heritage is not optional!
But discouragement tried to convince them they’d been disqualified.

Sound familiar?

Chaos has a way of making us doubt everything—our purpose, our progress, and sometimes our worth.
But God doesn’t base calling on convenience.

“God didn’t revoke your calling when your life got chaotic; He wrote it knowing you’d need grace to live it out.”

Progress > Perfection

Because God celebrates one brick at a time.

One of Zechariah’s most iconic lines is:

“Do not despise the day of small beginnings.” — Zechariah 4:10

Why?
Because the people were looking at the tiny, unimpressive start of the temple and comparing it to Solomon’s version.
Talk about discouraging.

Zechariah’s message?
“Stop comparing your progress to someone else’s highlight reel.”

The temple started with one stone, then another, then another.
Nothing glamorous.
Nothing Instagram able.

But God rejoices in the start, not just the finish.

Same with you.
Most spiritual growth looks like tiny nudges, midweek prayers, awkward attempts at forgiveness, painfully honest journaling, and choosing hope when it feels unnatural.

Small beginnings aren’t a sign you’re failing—they’re proof you’re moving.

Think about Heritage, we are small, but we are moving!
“Perfection isn’t the goal—progress is. God can work with progress; perfection would’ve never needed Him.”

Under Construction ≠ Stagnant

You may feel stuck, but God calls it “in process.”

The people felt stuck.
The temple rebuild had stalled.
Their enthusiasm had evaporated.
The enemies around them were loud.
The resources were low.
And the future was unclear.

Zechariah basically shows up like God’s divine foreman, clipboard in hand, shouting:

“Back to work! God’s not done!”

He reminds them that being “unfinished” doesn’t mean God has abandoned the project.
It means there’s more to be done—and that’s GOOD.

Just like the Sagrada Familia—
beautiful, awe-inspiring, and still surrounded by scaffolding.

That’s your life.

As long as you’re breathing, you’re not finished.
You’re developing.
Growing.
Being shaped.
Being refined.
Being constructed into something sacred.

“You’re not stuck—you’re under scaffolding.”

God Finishes What God Starts—Even If You Don’t

Your weakness doesn’t cancel His work.

In Zechariah 4:6–9, God makes a wild promise:
That Zerubbabel—the governor overseeing the temple—will finish what he started.

Not because he’s strong enough.
Not because he’s smart enough.
Not because the people suddenly get their act together.

But because:

“Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord.

Translation:
“You’re not going to finish this by your own bootstraps. That’s My job.”

Your life, your growth, your healing, your calling—
None of it relies solely on your limited capacity.

God finishes what He starts.
Period.

Even if you stall.
Even if you struggle.
Even if you wander.
Even if you fall apart in aisle 7 at Walmart.

“Your story ends in completion because God refuses to leave anything half-done.”

Your life isn’t a disaster zone—it’s a divine construction zone.

And God isn’t intimidated by the rubble.
He’s not frustrated with the pace.
He’s not surprised by your setbacks.
He’s not abandoning the build.

You are, like La Sagrada Familia—
unfinished, imperfect, stunning, sacred, admired, and still being built by the Architect of Heaven.

So keep walking.
Keep trusting.
Keep growing.
Keep letting Him hammer away at the places that need work.

God is not finished with you.
And that is very, very good news.

The Best Is Yet to Come, as the Best Is Yet To Be Built

Rev. John Roberts