46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 As for those who come to me and hear my words and put them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 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. 49 But those who hear my words and do not put them into practice are 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.”
Why is it that we continue to be oblivious to the need for laying down deep and sturdy foundations? Maybe it’s because we know that building a strong foundation is difficult and tedious work that seems to have little reward at the time. It’s a whole lot more fun to see walls and roofs rise, pointing to some return for our labors. But foundational work means digging away the surrounding dirt to get to the rock beneath. It may require blasting in rocky soil, or driving pillars deep into the soil on sandy ground. And when you’re done, what you are left in is a hole in the ground that seems far from completion.
And yet, as we all know, having a strong foundation is an absolute necessity in building up strong buildings … as well as strong congregations and strong lives. Without that foundational support, we easily are blown to and fro by the wind. When the earth shaking comes, the building crumbles. It’s hard work, but without it we don’t have much life in us.
God of strong towers, help us all — both church and individuals alike — to invest the time to build a strong foundation of faith and practice. Help us to realize that without a strong foundation, our lives and ministry will crumble. Amen.
Only Wonder Understands 