“In that day he will be your sure foundation, providing a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the LORD will be your treasure.” (Isaiah 33:6, NLT) 

I live within a short drive of the majestic Gateway Arch. Standing by the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown St. Louis, Missouri, it rises 630 feet (192 meters) or approximately sixty-three stories high. How does this imposing 43,000-ton structure stand so firm? Because of what it is built upon. The reinforced concrete foundations go sixty feet into the ground, thirty feet of which is drilled into bedrock. To prepare the foundation, 300,000 cubic feet of earth and rock were excavated. The structure is stable, and even with a force equivalent to a 150-mile-per-hour wind deflects only eighteen inches at the top. 

While the above statistics sound impressive and the Gateway Arch is the world’s tallest arch, it is nowhere near the tallest structure in the world. That distinction goes to the 2717-foot Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai. The building sits on a concrete and steel podium with 192 piles reaching a depth of 164 feet (50 meters). Like the Gateway Arch, it has a firm foundation and was built to resist any outside conditions that might cause damage.

Build it strong

A strong foundation is essential in all areas of life—whether buildings, businesses, governments, religious institutions, or personal lives. Buildings fall when dishonest contractors use substandard methods. Governments and industries crumble when built upon a foundation of corruption and self-interest rather than honesty and sound principles. Religions built upon falsehood destroy rather than save. Individuals with no firm foundation are tossed and injured by the storms that assail them in life. And storms will come to all of us.

Call in an expert

A crumbling foundation cannot safely support a building. Cracks in the foundation and bowing walls will soon impact the integrity of the structure. Major problems await if the owner ignores the signs and does not seek a solution. An ad for a company that deals with foundation problems states,Fortunately, if the signs of a crumbling foundation are spotted early, it is possible to stop the extent of the damages by calling on a foundation expert.”

Psalm 11:3 (NKJV) asks, If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?” Call in the expert! The Lord is our sure foundation. He provides “a rich store of salvation, wisdom, ad knowledge.”

Build on bedrock

The foundation is not the most glamorous part of a building’s design. In fact, most of it is out of sight and underground. Yet without a sure foundation, anything we build will shift and eventually break apart. When it feels like everything around us is shaken, God provides the stability we need to withstand the perils and uncertainties of this age. We must dig deep—bedrock deep—to securely build our lives. Our Rock is Christ Jesus. He, and He alone, gives us the stability we need to stand firm in these uncertain times.

“When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more, But the righteous has an everlasting foundation” (Proverbs 10:25, NKJV).

Author

Mary enjoys traveling, meeting new people, and spending time with old friends. Although directionally challenged, she would rather take the back roads with their discoveries than the boredom of the interstate.

Comments are closed.