“By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder.” 1 Corinthians 3:10 NIV
“Your life, and all that is in it, requires a strong and eternal foundation.”
My thoughts and comments today are about “building plans.”
Bruce, our son, is a builder in the best sense of the word. He is truly a skilled craftsman building custom homes, commercial buildings, and presently loves building churches. As a pastor, I have been responsible to work with architects and contractors on several major building projects, most recently the establishment of a new church and school campus. In those building projects, I have learned to rely on people whose specific experience and skills certainly exceed my own.
Building successfully requires careful and thorough prep work. Among other things, financing and foundation are central, preparing and providing for all the structure that will follow. Design development is a process involving architectural concept, drawings and engineering, financing and loan agreements, proposed budgets and construction costs, plans and permits, firm contractors’ bids, site development, and actual construction. No one begins to build without clear building plans that provide a strong foundation, structurally and financially, upon which to build.
Jesus said being a Christ-follower is like that, “Don’t forget to count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first getting estimates and then checking to see if there is enough money to pay the bills? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of funds . . they would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and ran out of money before it was finished.’” Luke 14:28-30 NLT. Whatever you build, the foundation is critical to your success. The foundation determines the expanse or limitations of the structure that follows. That’s a lot like life.
You are also a builder. In the course of your life, you will build many things, things much more consequential than just a residence or commercial facility. Be diligent in what you build and expert in how you do so. Much depends upon building well. Follow God’s plans for your life exactly; your future depends upon your doing so. You are building habits; choose them wisely. You are building a reputation; establish it carefully. You are building skills; make them useful. You are building friendships; prize them highly. You are building a future; insure it is one you desire. You are, or will be, building a marriage and family; invest yourself adequately. You are building a life; make it one you are proud of. You are building for eternity; build your foundation on faith in Christ alone!
Paul an apostle, a gift-ministry that builds Godly foundations in churches and lives, wrote, “By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder . . each one should be careful how he builds. No one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ . . if what he builds survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss.” 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 NIV. Your life, and all that is in it, requires a strong, eternal foundation; that foundation for all you are and all you do must be God’s Word and the living Word, Jesus Christ, God’s Son.
Jesus’ words can be trusted, “I will show you what he is like who comes to Me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock . . [adversity] could not shake it because it was well built.” Read Luke 6:47-49 NIV. Jesus is that rock. If your foundation isn’t solid, nothing else you do will work the way it should. I love to sing the traditional hymn, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.” The Solid Rock.
My prayer for you today is that you build according to the blueprints and specifications of God’s Word.