Luke 6:48
It is like a person building a house who digs DEEP and lays the foundation on solid rock.
This morning as I sit here typing this posting, I am in a house whose foundation has been repaired. Our house was built in 1948, and being here in Camp Sibert (or Swamp Sibert as I've heard some refer to it) the area is not well known for drainage. Over the years, as with any house, repairs are required for the upkeep and well being of the structure. Such was the condition of our foundation. Cracks begin to appear, door jams begin to sag, and the floor had a musical sound to it as you walked across it....creak, crack....snap...crackle. It was a major task for us to find someone who would be willing to tackle the job. Turns out it was all a matter of God's timing and God's provision for the job, but that is another story for another time.
I found a company who was more than willing to take care of our foundation problems. Four days....many hours...and much material, I am now sitting in a home whose foundation has been repaired. I think maybe God was teaching me something in the natural to reveal great spiritual truth. That is why I really like these verses this morning from Luke 6.
If you've read any in the New Testament, then you probably familiar with Jesus' teaching on the wise builder and the foolish builder. Both erected homes. Both homes were probably of the same material. Both contractors had good intentions of building something that was going to last. Both had good blueprints. But only one was a wise builder. Only one dug down until they had hit bedrock. Solid foundation is the starting point for any building. Same applies in our relationship with Christ.
A lot of people want the whole salvation experience without the need for going deep into the their lives and allow God to work there. We want the fancy mansion built but are not willing to take the time to dig down until we hit rock. We want Jesus but we're not willing to dig down, uncover and face our character defects. We embrace forgiveness....
We are swept up in the emotion of the thought of a new life...starting over...having the slate wiped clean, so to speak. But we not enthralled at the possibility of having to empty out all the old drawers where we stashed the nastiness of our life.
Never forget that when Christ comes to us to work in our lives....change our heart, change our character...He does so out of love for us. So this whole digging down so we can build up is all part of the process of healing He wants to take us through. I heard it put this way. Dr. Darrel W. Pitts, who taught a video series on recovery that we used at Rapha, use to explain the work Jesus does in our hearts. Dr. Pitts tore the muscle in his leg...painful...could not walk and had to have friends take him to the emergency room. As they entered into the E.R., Dr. Pitts said he only had one thing on his mind....MORPHINE! Make it quit hurting. But to his surprise, the doctor in the E.R. only had one thing on his mind...X-RAY! Dr. Pitts said that he realized that he'd only been thinking of his comfort while the E.R. doctor was only thinking about his healing. I think maybe this is what is on Jesus' heart. He's more interested in my healing so I can move on in life, rather than me being comfortable.
So don't settle for a shallow foundation in your relationship with Christ.
Listen to His teachings and allow them to dig deep into your very being where His foundation can be laid for everything He wants to build in your life.
God on you...
mb
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