A Foundation That Holds
I was driving by a new subdivision and was just in awe of how quickly they could get these houses built.
As pretty as they all looked on the outside, there is no doubt that one of the critical steps that can never be rushed is ensuring each home has a firm foundation that will hold and protect the house for years to come.
What is underneath is what matters most.
I bet you can see where I'm going with this already.
As a non-expert in home building, I researched some of the steps in forming a foundation and found some similarities in how we should build the foundation of our spiritual lives.
Step 1: Evacuation
You gotta dig out all the junk first to make space. You must take everything out to ensure that nothing will hinder a stable and strong foundation.
That sounds a lot like what we've been doing on our journey together. We've had to pull out a lot of stuff that no longer served us.
The lies of what we thought and believed about ourselves - gotta dig all that out.
Relying on fame, fortune, and the adoration of others to sustain our happiness - that all had to go.
Old habits and patterns that were no good for us had to be dug out and discarded.
Step 2: Footings and Cornerstones
These are solid columns and pieces of concrete that distribute the weight and ensure that nothing will sink or sway. Precision is critical as everything is built up from here.
How often did we build our foundation on people or ideas that have disappointed us? We ignored our instincts and the nudges of the Holy Spirit and found ourselves back on the drawing board in Step 1.
We must look at the materials we choose and the people we surround ourselves with. They can either build us up or tear us down.
We can look to Jesus Christ and His teachings to help us build strong footings in our lives. He is the one who sacrificed everything to show us love and forgiveness and taught us how to live and love; we have to follow His instructions and build upon them.
Step 3: Build the Walls
Now that the foundation is all set, the walls are built to ensure a strong and stable foundation underneath the building.
These are the walls that keep in the good and keep out the bad. That's why Step 1 was so important; we don't want any old junk creeping back in.
Our walls serve as boundaries that allow us to teach others how to treat us.
Our friends and family serve as reinforcements and walls that help keep us strong when we feel weak and vulnerable.
Step 4: Waterproofing and Drainage
This critical step ensures the house is pitched and protected properly so no water can seep in and damage the foundation.
God's unconditional love is a coating that can keep us safe and dry, even in a torrential downpour.
Ensuring we are properly protected by believing and receiving God’s grace and mercy can help prevent cracks from forming in our future!
Storms will come in life, and ensuring we have built the proper drainage around our foundation can keep us safe and dry. Relying on God's wisdom, pausing and praying, and saying no when we mean no can help us stay safe.
Step 5: Filling In and Flooring
Now that all the steps are in place, it's time to fill in all the spaces to ensure things slope properly and that there is stability and security. Now that all the other steps are completed, the flooring can be poured, providing a secure structure for the rest of the home.
What we will fill our lives with is up to us. We can choose not to focus on our selfish desires and build a life based on service to others.
We can choose to build our minds and bodies up with wisdom and healthy choices to take care of what was built with such care.
I have had to redo these steps a few times, dig out the junk, repair some water damage, and rebuild from the ground up.
I am still a project in progress, that's for sure.
The good news is I am not on this project alone.
I have officially hired God as my contractor, who negotiates with all the teams to ensure the highest quality and care is given to me and all those on the site.
With Him in charge, I can be sure that my foundation will protect me and hold firm for years to come.
Now, this is not a how-to manual, so don't you go building a house and then come back to me about how things are crooked and unstable. I warned you I am not an expert.
In order to build the best foundation, you will need to consult with a professional and hire a great contractor.
And as luck would have it, I got a guy for you to call.
God is with us always and forever.
Luke 6: 46-49
"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me, hears my words, and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed, and its destruction was complete."
Psalm 18: 1-2
I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
1 Corinthians 3: 10-11
By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.