Getting My House In Order…

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its FOUNDATION on the rock.”

(Matthew 7:24-25)

Prior to constructing a house, there is some work that has to be done. This work includes building plans, plans usually cover the structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical systems and fire safety. According to these plans, the site is prepared for construction. The house in the picture above is a physical house that was built on a strong physical foundation. A foundation is prepared base on which the house rests. It is the beginnings or first principals of this process. But, no matter how impressive the house is, its structural integrity is dependent upon the firmness of the foundation. The importance of having a firm foundation is a lesson we all should learn, especially when it comes to our spiritual lives. A house’s structural integrity depend on the types of materials used and the type of foundation it is built on. In the same way, we need to be very careful what we are building our spiritual work on, and to take heed how we are building.

The principles behind the foundation are simple, make it sturdy and make it strong. The foundation is a critical element of the building process, and it must be done correctly to prevent problems further down the road. A well-built foundation provides the fundamental stability for the future of the house. It is important to get the foundation right. The foundation is probably the most important part of the house. If it settles or moves, so will your house.

Every building contractor knows that if the foundation is wrong then the house cannot succeed. That is why it is so important to careful where you lay your foundation just because it appears strong doesn’t mean its stable. Errors in this most fundamental stage of construction will eventually lead to headaches and difficulties at each subsequent stage of building. If we are not careful and remember to build our foundation on Christ, the only firm foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11), our work will be in vain because our house cannot last. It will not hold up because it was built on a very unstable, shaky foundation. Jesus said it is like building on sand, the worst of all types of load-bearing soils, and one day all that we have built will come crashing down. Adversity has an uncanny way of forcing you to distinguish between sand and concrete. It is very frustrating to build something and then see it come crashing down.

By pursuing Christ and practicing his words, we are constructing something that will endure. It will not rot, fade, rust, or perish. Not only that, but it also cannot be destroyed when Christ tests it, because it is fireproof (1 Corinthians 3:12-14). Some buildings are made out of weak materials and will not last. I hope that through these next few post to leave with the tools needed to employ the highest quality materials. By doing so, we have the promise that what we build will last, because we are Building Upon the Firm Foundation.

Foundations are designed for both the conditions of the property and the requirements of the structure that they will support.  In general, all foundations are made up of the same three components: the footing, the foundation wall, and the rebar reinforcement.  Stay tuned and we will discuss each component…