Today is National DIY Day. Those who are a DIYer, you don’t need it explained. For others, DIY means Do It Yourself. It’s the day to celebrate the person who is the “jack of all trades” who would rather do a project themselves rather than hiring it done. In the process, the DIYer learns a new skill, saves a lot of money, and might find something they would like to continue doing.
My dad was a DIYer. There weren’t too many things he hired done. That’s just the way a farmer does it. Whatever the farm requires, they do it. Plumbing, electrical, construction, welding, mechanical – you do what’s necessary.
Some things, like painting, he probably should have hired. Dad hated painting but he would do it. I’ll never forget his frustration trying to paint the casing around a bathroom window without getting it on the glass. Irritation overtook him and he just painted the glass and all – which only makes more work later because of all the scraping. That was one of those projects, though, we didn’t talk about. When I got home from school and saw the glass painted, I made the mistake of asking mom what happened. Her eyes got big as she tried to hush me.
I was – am – really proud of dad and only wish I could tell him that today. When he got out of farming and went into woodworking, he traded all those tools for a different set of tools. Dad never took classes or received any formal education on how to read or draw blueprints. He just did it, learning along the way. As he built patterns for Style-Mark in Archbold, the precision that was necessary with wood was unthinkable. Dad would
meticulously work on a project, getting everything to specs before starting on the next project.
This DIY mentality rubbed off on me. If I can do something myself, I’m going to do it rather than pay someone else. I have an advantage, though, that dad didn’t have. YouTube. You can look up just about any project and find videos showing you how to do it. And when in doubt, Google it!
While DIY is great for many things, it doesn’t work in the spiritual realm. First, salvation isn’t DIY. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Jesus does the saving, not us. In fact, if we try to DIY salvation, we will fail 100% of the time.
Second, keeping ourselves saved isn’t DIY. Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ…” And 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 reminds us, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (24) Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.”
I did nothing to get saved and I do nothing to stay saved. My assurance for both is found in Jesus and His promises. His Holy Spirit is given to me as the earnest – the guarantee – until that day of redemption when God takes full possession of that which was purchased in the blood of His Son.
Third, getting to Heaven is not a DIY. Jeff Bezos may have his Blue Origin shuttles that will take you to the edge of space and NASA could launch you deep into space but they will never be able to get you to Heaven’s door. Luke 16:22 says, “And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom…” Speaking of the Rapture, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 says, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: (17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up 
together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
While we wait for our Heavenly flight, we are supposed to grow in the Lord. We can do the right things that allow for growth but the growth itself is not a DIY project. The Lord grows us.
DIY projects are fun but we need to lay aside any notion of spiritual DIY and turn the work over to the Professional! Colossians 1:16-17 introduces us to that Professional. “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (17) And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”
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