What we build on builds us. That includes a wise foundation.
Two men, two houses, two foundations. Disaster was inevitable, and it came quickly. One man was in a hurry. Didn’t attend to important details. He threw up a few pieces of cardboard, nailed some boards together, and set it all on a sandy lot. Bad storms were known to inhabit his geographical area—and one showed up soon enough. Within minutes, his home was reduced to rubble, and he was lucky to be alive.
The second man was more careful when he built his house. He chose materials that would withstand strong winds. He hired a contractor he could trust and who had experience building stable homes. And before any piece of home construction was assembled, the builders spent weeks constructing a good foundation. The man was proud of his house, didn’t mind the money he’d spent to build it, and lived in it for many years—weathering many storms.
According to the psalmist, God shows Himself pure to those who are pure. “To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd” (Psalm 18:26 NLT).
He’s dependable when I build my life on the proper foundation–a wise foundation. I can’t make myself pure, but I can be made that way by allowing Christ to be my foundation. When He is, I can stand on certain foundational things—convictions I’m unwilling to break. Non-negotiables that will weather storms.
God is real. He exists. I’m staking my life and eternity on it. “In the beginning, God created…”
God is love. Unconditional love. He loves when I don’t, loves more than I can, and can teach me to love those I ordinarily wouldn’t.
God is in control. The news could cause me to doubt it on any given day, but the Bible says He is—and I choose to believe it. Otherwise, I must believe in fate or chance. Poor alternatives.
God deserves our obedience and love. Jesus said it was the greatest command—to love and obey God. We demonstrate our love and appreciation for Jesus’ sacrifice through obedience.
God expects us to live a life of integrity. When we obey His commands, we will. We’ll do the right thing—at least most of the time, whether anyone is looking or not. Character must be our core.
Many things we can live without, but the above are essentials. They’re our foundation…our convictions…our essence.
What are the foundational beliefs you can’t live without?
–Photo by Scott Blake on Unsplash
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