East Flatbush Writer

Almost two weekends ago,  we dropped my daughter off to college in Connecticut.  It is quite a transition to be sure and triggers deep self-reflection. Questions about my role as a mother,  a parent as well as a Christian example keeps me up at night.  I consider two big questions daily,  “Did I do enough to prepare her for this new phase of her life? Does she have a good foundation?

Although the first question is one most parents struggle with as their children approach adulthood,  the second is really a question for all of us. We are all builders and life events such as change, disappointment, loss, a move,  marriage, divorce even wonderful new opportunities often reveal the stability of our lives. They force us to wrestle with the what and how we are building a foundation.

Jesus addresses this issue while on earth.  He speaks to the crowd one day about  building a firm foundation and Matthew records it. 

Matthew 7:24 NLT
[24] “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. He goes on to explain that you can also build your life on sand.  Both lives will be visited with challenges, rain, floodwaters,  and winds.  And when these disasters take place,  the home built on sand will collapse with a mighty crash.

Has your life ever collapsed with a crash? It might be a feeling that everything that could go wrong, has. Or it might be a permanent unexpected turn in life, which leaves you to answer the question, what now?

So what are the building blocks of your life? Ambition, notoriety, image,  personality, materialism, success. Does everything in your life have to look picture-perfect in order for it to feel perfect? Have we equated blessings from God as approval from God? (I once heard a preacher say that one had nothing to do with the other.) And what happens next when those building blocks fail to protect us from life’s guaranteed challenges?

The words of Jesus in Matthew chapter 7 doesn’t leave us without an answer.  When you’re building your life,  first,  listen to his teaching. Make yourself available to hear what the Lord has to say about how you should live your life. Read his word, listen to music that carries his precense,  books, sermons even conversations that reveals more of God’s ways to you. He then says, not only should you listen to his teaching,  you should follow what he says. That also means to take action. Be about it. Do what He wants you to do! If your are listening,  then you’ll hear how he wants you live,  speak and  love. You will know that he wants you to embrace right living, speak words that always represent him and love others more than ourselves. 

This is a good place to start when wrestling with the question of how to build a solid foundation for your life.  A life that can withstand the “natural disasters” that might come your way.  A question which continues to be answered through words of the old hymn which states, How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!

Keep building on his word…