It started as a crack in the linoleum about an inch long.
Mother put a rug over it so it would show. That was fine for a while, but
before long the crack had spread past the borders of the rug on either side. It
was wider, too. Rather than looking like a razor blade slit, it was a jagged
crack about a half inch wide and a couple of feet long. Mom got some linoleum and patched it. It
looked fine for a while, but after a few weeks the crack reappeared and quickly
grew until it was more than 5 feet long and more than two inches wide. Deciding it was time to call in the big dogs,
she called her cousin who owned a flooring and carpet company. She asked him
about pouring concrete in the crack to level it up. He explained that the
problem was in the foundation and pouring concrete wouldn’t correct the real
problem. The foundation would continue to shift and could easily damage the
plumbing and electrical conduits for the house. I am not sure what the house
levelers that he brought in did, but the problem was corrected before any
safety issues could develop.
In our lives we have things that are out of balance. Maybe
we have come to Jesus later in life and have beliefs and ideas that are deeply
ingrained. Even those of us who were in church the second Sunday of our lives
can have gaps in our knowledge and understanding that keep us out of balance
such as putting too much dependence on works and not enough on grace. We try to
cover up the problem, maybe with our “happy church face”. (“I’m just fine,
today, sister! Praise the Lord!” If we don’t address the real issue it will get
worse. Then we may try to patch it up, maybe with addictive behaviors or, my
personal favorite, Avoidance. Again, with our treatment at the foundation, it
will reappear and get worse causing damage to our jobs, or families and our
spirits. The good news is that we have a secure foundation and help in Jesus.
Isaiah 33:6 says, "He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.In First Peter 2 we read about being built into a spiritual house as living stones, and Jesus is the chief cornerstone. Paul describes this in Ephesians 2:19-22.
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Jesus explained more fully in Matthew 7:24-27 in the parables of the wise and foolish builders. He said that the man who hears his words and puts them into practice will be like a house that is built on a rock, not shifting sand.
Let's be diligent to make Jesus the foundation for our families and our lives. Feed on the word to build your relationship with him and trust in him for your security.
Isaiah 33:6 says, "He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.In First Peter 2 we read about being built into a spiritual house as living stones, and Jesus is the chief cornerstone. Paul describes this in Ephesians 2:19-22.
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Jesus explained more fully in Matthew 7:24-27 in the parables of the wise and foolish builders. He said that the man who hears his words and puts them into practice will be like a house that is built on a rock, not shifting sand.
Let's be diligent to make Jesus the foundation for our families and our lives. Feed on the word to build your relationship with him and trust in him for your security.
