For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw — each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 1 Corinthians 3:11-13

InTempo, the new 47-story skyscraper in Benidorm, Spain, is almost completed … finally.

I say “finally” because the work on the building has suffered all manner of setbacks. There were bad loans; there were missed deadlines; there were the construction accidents which took lives, and there were the builders who went bankrupt.

Still, those who supported the project remained enthusiastic.

They were enthusiastic when the building was designed to stop at 20 floors, and they became even more excited when 27 more stories were added to the design. They kept their fervor because they knew the InTempo building would show the world that Spain is solid economically.

Maybe, but the InTempo building is not going to tell the world that Spain is solid architecturally.

That is because someone somehow forgot to put a working elevator into the plan of floors 21-47. Oh, they left space in the plans for an elevator, but the space they left is far too small for a full-sized lift. End result, the folks who have the good view from the apartments up above are going to be making a regular, daily investment on the stairs to enjoy the panoramic vista.

And if you’re wondering why not change the plans? The InTempo owners will, reluctantly, tell you the building is 95 percent done, and at this point in time there doesn’t seem to be any kind of a rational, reasonable redesign.

Now there is a reason I tell the story of the poorly designed building.

It occurs to me there are a great many people who are doing the same thing with their lives.

I mean these aren’t lazy, ignorant people. It’s just that some of these folks don’t have any elevator in their lives. That’s correct. Right now, they’ve got no way to get from down here on earth to the penthouse suites which we call heaven. And, unlike the InTempo building, these folks can’t use the stairs to hike up.

That’s terribly, terribly sad, because — according to God’s plan — there ought to be an elevator in the building of everyone’s life. The Lord spared no cost in making sure none of us would get stuck on the ground floor or in the basement. Indeed, God’s Son gave His entire life to making sure everyone could get from down here to up there.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, most of us think putting an elevator in a skyscraper is an obvious and necessary thing. If that is so, and it is, please make it equally obvious to everyone that they need Jesus to get them from down here to up there. And, if I can help them see the obvious, please use me. In Jesus’ Name I ask it. Amen.

Pastor Ken Klaus Lutheran Hour Ministries All rights reserved; not to be duplicated without permission.