I live on a college campus and during the last school year, I worked out quite a bit at the outdoor track. The outdoor track is located just east of the football stadium and south of the fieldhouse. There is a space where all of those facilities meet that used to be a small parking lot. Okay, so much for that visual. . .trying to describe it is getting confusing even for me.
Anyway, shortly after the school year ended, the space was blocked off and suddenly, a really deep hole or pit appeared. There is some construction going on at the neighboring stadium, so it looked as though the workers were connecting some pipes or something. Like I said, the space in which they were working was really deep and they worked in that pit forever, it seemed like. Well, today, I went up to the track for the first time in several weeks and as it turns out, it looks like they have built a new restroom facility. My first impression was, "They went through all of that for another set of restrooms?" But then I saw it from a different perspective. How many of us are willing to do the really hard work or go through the tough times to insure that our foundations are solid?
The first example that comes to mind is rearing children. It can be tough trying to raise our children in the fear and admonition of the Lord, or as Proverbs 22:6 says, " Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Quite frankly, on some days, it wears me out! But, I have another example. . .
Lately, I have found myself getting a bit frustrated with God. I feel as though God has put all of these ministry/career ideas in my mind and on my heart, but I feel as though things are moving at the speed of molasses! I'm like, "Let's go, God! Let's get on with it (while snapping my fingers)". But I am reminded of Matthew 7:24, where Jesus says, "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock; and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on the house, and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock." Like the restroom facility that has a solid foundation, I must be deeply rooted in Jesus and in the Word of God for any ministry/career idea to be really successful. And it is important to note that success is not and should not always be measured in terms of money.
I am also reminded of 1 Peter 5:6,7: Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your cares upon Him for He cares for you. God loves me and He wants what is best for me, always. So, perhaps my roots are not deep enough. I know I can always dig deeper in the Word. One thing I know He has urged me to do is read the Bible in its entirety, something in all my years as a Christian I have not done (shame on me). Perhaps He is waiting for me to stop tryin' to run things and simply trust Him. I could go on, but I won't. One thing is for sure, in His timing, when my foundation is solid, completely rooted in Him, He will use me in ways I could not have imagined.
So, how is your "foundation" holding up? Is your "foundation" built on The Rock or is it built on the external and fleeting (i.e. money, good career, good looks, material possessions, etc.)? Is your reason for living to live for Christ by loving, serving and giving to others? Or, are you living to simply eat, drink, and be merry? Or, is there a struggle going on? Perhaps once upon a time, pleasing God was all you wanted to do, but slowly the pressures of the world have diverted your attention, causing "cracks" in your foundation. Remember, Jesus is here and if you're still here, it's not too late to call on Him.
Until next time, may you be encouraged!
