Guest Post: Abigail Hamilton

“And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” Genesis‬ ‭11:1-4

These people had one language. They wanted to make something out of themselves. So, they decided they were going to build a city and a tower.

I remember the day I was just like this group of people in Genesis 11. I spoke the language of the world. I had the same goals and ambitions as the world. I wanted to dress like them. I understood their culture. It was in my heart.

There I was, building a tower trying to be someone, make something out of my life. I knew the correct way and God’s commandment, but I wanted my own way. I thought if I would be like the rest of the tower-builders around me, I would be happy.

The sun beat down as I began to build. I got my hands dirty from the stone and the slime. My heart began to lose its innocence.

But God in His mercy…

“And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭11:6-8‬

I was headed down the wrong road. The rebellion in my heart resisted Godly correction. To be honest, I loved feeling the Spirit in services and I wanted to go to Heaven when I died, but I wanted my way more. I loved the world. I loved its fashion. I had taken on its attitudes. I walked in the ways of the world. I talked their language. I was building their tower.

But the mercies of God looked down from Heaven. I don’t know how He did it, but God came down and confounded my language. In the moment He saved my soul, I no longer understood the world’s language. I no longer wanted to associate with the tower-builders. In fact, I stopped building and left the city of destruction. Instead, I started looking for “a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

God’s given me a new language. He’s given me a new purpose and goal in life. He’s taken away the slime from my hands. He’s given me clean hands and a pure heart. He’s satisfied me. He’s made me more happy than I ever was before.

There are people in my life who my heart aches for…loved ones caught up in the rat race of building towers. But once again, God has reminded me of pit He brought me from. There is hope. God still confounds the languages. He still changes hearts. Hallelujah!

I want to continue with the Lord and not look back on the city or tower I left eight years ago. I’ve waved goodbye to Shinar’s plain, never to return again.

To have the eyes of Christ

To see the world as He does

To have the heart of God

To feel the need that surrounds

To have the mind of Jesus

To think as He thought

To be like my Creator

To continue what grace wrought 

To be holy like He commanded

To be consumed with this desire

To be focused on things eternal

To fan my smoking flax into fire

To be living for His kingdom

To have my hand on the plough

Never looking back to what I left

To know that my convenient season is now

May sin still be sin

And wrong still be wrong

May this world still be foreign

Not charmed by her song 

May holiness still be my cry

May Heaven still be my goal

May self still be crucified 

May I have the mind of Christ

(April 9, 2022)