For two years our family lived in a relatively basic house in Nicaragua (downright primitive by American standards). As is fairly typical in the tropics, the walls did not go all the way to the roof, meaning there was a several foot gap that allowed birds, bats, opossums, cats, mosquitos, giant flying beetles, and snakes free entrance into our house. We heard every noise on the street all night long, and the metal roof (no false ceiling) assured we heard every rain drop. Every day there seemed to be a new problem to fix. In fact, I’m pretty sure there was never a day where everything worked correctly. We finally decided to move to a newer and more “American” style house. Because our house didn’t have the best foundation, and because it was not entirely enclosed, he did not provide us the security and comfort we really needed. It’s rather similar in life: when our life is founded upon God we are ready for anything, but when it’s founded upon the world…well, get ready for the snakes and opossums!
As we celebrate the founding of America today we celebrate the foundations of our country: freedom, liberty, rights, etc. The foundation laid down by our founding fathers has been able to weather hundreds of storms throughout the years. This foundation is what makes America so great. As we think about the foundations of America, what lays at the foundation of your life? If it God or is it really something else (pride, money, impressing others, etc.) Allow me to be blunt: if we as men don’t put God first in every part of our lives, especially within our family for those of us called to be husbands and fathers, then things are likely going to suffer. Those rascally snakes and opossums (sins) are going to creep in and cause untold problems. This is how Jesus puts it:
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” Matthew 7:24-27
What is your life founded upon? Is it truly built upon God? God should be the foundation of all we do in our personal life, work life, and family life. We should allow God to guide how we treat our spouse, our kids, our parents, our siblings, etc. God’s Word should be the basis of all of our thoughts, words, and actions. The big question this week is: are you following God’s guidance and founding whole life firmly upon His firm foundation?
