“He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.” (Luke 6:48, ESV)
The sales brochure of a construction company specializing in oceanfront homes informed prospective buyers that “the foundation is the most important thing you will put in your house.” The ad went on to describe dimensions, depth of placement, and its ability to meet building codes. One of their key selling points was the stability and integrity of the structure when strong winds blow, a very necessary consideration for that locale.
The brochure concluded by stating, “All this protects your investment though none of it is very glamorous. Surfaces can always be changed cosmetically but the lasting value of your (company name) home depends upon a firm foundation.”
I live just a few miles from the impressive Gateway Arch, which stands by the banks of the Mississippi River. At 630 feet (192.02 meters), the Arch is over twice as tall as the Statue of Liberty. How does a 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.
Regardless of the structure type—single family dwelling, school, skyscraper, bridge—great thought and detail are given to the foundation upon which it will be built. Numerous building codes must be met before occupancy or use is permitted. To do otherwise invites disaster.
A proper 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.
What is the right foundation for us to build upon? Rock. Solid rock. Bedrock. God! “He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he” (Deuteronomy 32:4). I Samuel 2:2 declares there is “no Rock like God.”
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke of the necessity of a firm foundation that would not give way when storms came. The wise man, He said, took care to build his house upon a rock. “And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock” (Matthew 7:25).
The foolish man apparently took shortcuts with his construction project. Instead of digging down deep to hit solid rock before he began his structure, he merely laid his foundation on top of the ground. He did not deliberately court calamity as much as have it overtake him through carelessness and a lack of planning. He just did not consciously think about the result of his actions.
“And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it” (verse 27).
The foundation may not look glamorous, but its integrity is essential to the structure it supports. It is imperative that we build our lives upon the Rock. We must dig deep until we find bedrock. Without Jesus Christ as our foundation, we court disaster. Only He gives us the stability to stand firm in uncertain times.
“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (I Corinthians 3:11).
Lord, give me wisdom to build my life upon an unshakeable foundation. You are the One who gives me stability and the strength to stand when the storms of life try to sweep me away. You are my Rock, the only sure foundation.
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