I have a confession to make. My security hasn’t always come from the One who promises a firm foundation. We are instructed to build our lives on the foundation of God. Jesus spoke of how important it is to live by His teachings. The word important, doesn’t paint the picture I truly want to convey here. It is critical, vital, life saving even, to build our lives on the Rock that has stood the test of time.
In Matthew 7:24-27 (NLT) it says, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
This is an important concept from a Biblical perspective. It’s mentioned again in Luke 6: 46-49 (NLT). It states, “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house right on the ground, without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”
The teaching we are supposed to be listening to is God, not the ones offered by the world. When I build my foundation on anything other than His Word, when the rains come and the flood waters rise, my foundation will not be stable.
Part of my day job is analyzing development plans, checking they will work with the location of any proposed development. As a land use planner, I also review building permits and part of the process is to ensure structures are located outside of flood waters. This is critical for where I live in the mountains of Colorado because when the snow melts every spring, the rivers rise and floods are likely to happen.
Many historical structures in our community didn’t have the technology we have today in order to place their homes outside of floodplains. In the heavy snow seasons, while great for the surrounding ski resorts, it isn’t the best for these homes located along the rivers.
A few structures have been destroyed in the time I’ve lived here. Instead of these homes getting to rebuild where they previously were, they are placed on higher ground with a firmer foundation. Obviously, in this world there isn’t a guarantee that destruction can be avoided, but we can take steps to mitigate the potential hazards.
How do we mitigate the hazards of our lives? It’s one thing for me to clearly see lines on a map where something can be placed. It’s in a safe zone or it’s not.
My life doesn’t work like that. Does your life?
My close friends and I have discussed how our lives seem to get more out of control, instead of being predictable and safe. Maybe God is keeping us on our toes or the more likely scenario is He desires us to build a firmer foundation with Him along with His teachings. I struggle with this.
Similar to my job, I want a clear path to what the firmer foundation looks like. Am I taking the right steps to grow in my relationship with God? Am I doing enough of those steps to create a firmer foundation? Am I giving enough effort to those steps?
How would you answer these questions? Everyone has a unique journey God wants to take them on. My answers will look nothing like yours and that’s awesome! It means God is creating a special path to building a firmer foundation designed for each one of us.
Encourage others by sharing in the comments below how you create a firmer foundation and what journey God is taking you on.