Built Upon A Solid Foundation

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!” (Matt 7:24-27 NRSV)

This past year I've questioned the wisdom of the powers that be that determine construction codes. Years ago, we put a mobile home on a piece of property in Gay, Michigan; a little town on Lake Superior. To prepare the spot we used concrete runners under the mobile home so that it would not sink or shift. Our son, just put a mobile home on land in Flagler County. Here in Florida the pad that the mobile home will sit on is made of sand. There is no concrete slab or runners under the home. I am sure that the engineers and others more knowledgeable about building in Florida know what they are doing. Yes; of course, there are some really good tie downs and concrete blocks securing and leveling the house. But, when I first heard that there must be a pad of sand laid first, I was a bit confused. But; then again, we don't normally put a slab of concrete under a wood home, either. Blocks are usually used to hold it up and level it and that has worked for a very long time. 

So, houses are normally built on something solid; like concrete slabs or blocks. There has to be a sturdy base to keep the home from crumbling down. Likewise; our faith must be built on something solid. The foundation of our faith is the truth, who is Jesus Christ. Jesus is the cornerstone that holds the house of God together. If the house of God, if the church, is built on anything less than Jesus; if it is built on egos or greed or upon our own self-righteousness; then it will surely fall.

Paul wrote to the Ephesians:  "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God." (Eph 2:19-22)

God's Peace - Pr. J