Application: approved!

God is the builder of everything (Hebrews 3:4).

It has become increasingly common for job applicants to "embellish" their resumes. In order to stand out from other candidates, many job seekers feel the need to be "creative" when listing their training, experiences, and accomplishments. Having the most impressive resume may make the difference between being hired or losing the position to someone else.

God is building an everlasting city, a magnificent place that will showcase His rule and house His servants forever. However, when we apply for a place in His ever-growing capital, there is no difference between us. God doesn’t need to check our references; the all-seeing Lord of the universe already knows every ugly truth about our lives. Each of our applications for a place among God’s servants bears one disqualifying word stamped in huge red letters: SINNER.

Thank God for Jesus! God, the architect of the universe, has a Son who was raised in the carpentry business. This Son of the Boss is a loving Son. He loves His Father and is completely loyal to Him—Jesus would never do anything to cause His Father disappointment. At the same time, the Son of God also loves us, calls us His friends. With the keen eyes of a carpenter He can see our every defect, but He can also see how we might be remade under His skillful hands, made both beautiful and useful.

The Bosses’ Son has gone to His Father on our behalf. He has asked His Father to accept our applications to help in building His great city and to be allowed to eventually retire there. He promised to vouch for our good behavior. He promised to train us to be the kind of workers who will be helpful in the building of God’s kingdom. He made a pledge that every time we let His Father down with our laziness and bad choices, He would set right what we had messed up, even if it killed Him—and, of course, it did. Jesus bled for our mistakes and died to ensure our place in God’s great building program.

Because Jesus has done this, His Father stamps your application to work for Him as approved—and He welcomes you into the best job you will ever have, with retirement benefits like no other.