What Are You Building On?

About a year ago, the family of faith at Franklinville United Methodist Church faced the horror of the walls of its sanctuary to come tumbling down.    In that same place, I am certain that a pastor or Sunday School teacher had shared the story about the walls of Jericho coming  tumbling down.    Yet, on that tragic day the wall of a church sanctuary where people had gathered to worship God in times of joy and sadness left a hole in that house of God and a hole in the heart of people of God.

Foundations of  buildings are important lest walls come tumbling down.   I was reminded of that last year when we added a small addition onto our home.    The general contractor started with digging  down in the ground to the “good dirt” (as he called it.)   Then, he put steel rods into the ground before feeling the  trenches with concrete.    After that, he had concrete blocks laid.     After the block had set up, he put gravel in the middle on the ground re-enforced with steel rods before concrete was poured again.   It was only after that that the building inspector allowed the general contractor to begin building our new addition.   It took weeks for the foundation to be readied for building.    When you are building a church or you are building a home, it is important that you have a good foundation. 

Jesus knew something about building.  He certainly knew more than I  do.     We read in Matthew 7:  24-27 he told one day about building: 

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

It is important to have a good foundation not just in any building, but also in  your life.   What kind of foundation do you have in your life?     Without a good foundation, things might come tumbling down.    The apostle Paul says that there is no other foundation that can be laid for a Christian than Jesus Christ our Lord.    What are you doing in your life daily to make sure your foundation is sure and steady.   Have a joy-filled week.-  Pastor Randy Wall

 

PRAYER --  O God,   the old hymn declares “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand”.   Help me to take  the time and effort  to build my life and path on you each and every day;  through Christ our Lord.   Amen.