Some years ago, when we were looking at the
possibility of buying our first house, we toured a house in a community near
ours. It was one of the oldest houses in
the community and the price was in our price range. But it had a big draw back; some particularly
difficult and expensive repairs would need to be done by the buyer.
The house had been built on some land that
had been cleared of some big trees.
Instead of building a foundation of rock, brick or cement, the builders
chose to use the stumps of the cleared trees as the foundation.
You might already suspect what happened over
the years! As the stumps began to decay
and crumble, parts of the house began to sink.
Floors slanted. Walls went out of
plumb. Ceilings cracked.
The difficult and expensive repairs would
include raising the house in order to put a new foundation under it. Once that was done, then the house would go
through a process of leveling. Once
leveled, then all the cracks and gaps in the house would need to be repaired.
It was, of course, a reminder of the need to
build on the right foundation.
As we now face the implications and fallout
of the Coronavirus pandemic, that house we toured speaks ever so vividly and appropriately
to my heart regarding the types of foundations we build our lives upon.
The Scriptures paint a clear picture in that
regard: “Everyone who hears these
words of mine and does them is like a wise man who built his house on
rock. The rain fell, the flood came, and the winds beat against that
house, but it did not collapse because its foundation had been laid on
rock. Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them is like
a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the flood came,
and the winds beat against that house, and it collapsed - it was utterly
destroyed!” (Mathew 7:24-27)
If a foundation has been built on economic
security, that of regular paychecks or investment portfolios or retirement
accounts or health insurance, cracks are starting to appear. In many cases, those foundations are actually
crumbling right before our very eyes!
Even the current need for social distancing
is starting to wreak havoc if the foundation we built upon is made of social
status and social influence.
I normally try to keep my posts short but
please indulge me as I think more needs to be shared this time from the Word of
God:
“According to the grace of God given to me,
like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone
else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon
it. 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, 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. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation
survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he
will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through
fire.” (1 Cor 3:10-15)
“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was
called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And
he went out, not knowing where he was going.
By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign
land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the
same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that
has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” (Heb 11:8-10)
Aside from the encouragement and the
challenge to build on the right foundations, in all honesty I would also say that
I need the Lord to raise me up in order to put in a new and better foundation for
my life. I also need Him to come and level
my life because it has become slanted and cracks are showing.
I would also add, for the record, that He is
able to do those things and He is faithful to do them. So I continue on with the Word of God as a
reminder to myself and as an encouragement to you…
“He lifts the weak from the dust; he raises
the poor from the ash heap to seat them with princes - he bestows on them an
honored position. The foundations of the earth belong to the Lord -
he placed the world on them.” (1 Sam
2:8)
“Therefore, this is what the
Sovereign Lord, says: “Look, I am laying a stone in Zion, an approved
stone, set in place as a precious cornerstone for the foundation. The one
who maintains his faith will not panic.”
(Isa 28:16)
“So then you are no longer strangers
and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints
and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of
the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the
cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows
into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built
together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” (Eph 2:19-22)
“However, God’s
solid foundation remains standing, bearing this seal: ‘The Lord knows
those who are his,’”… (2 Tim 2:19a)
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