When I was in college, one of my mentors and her husband began building their dream home out on a piece of property just a few minutes away from the university, and they invited our student group to visit. But this wasn’t any ol’ visit. In fact, the house wasn’t even finished yet.
This couple was truly building a dream home: a house they had prayed for and imagined with the Lord, after years of saving and faithfully serving our college ministry, a home large enough to allow them to host family and college students whenever anyone had need. But on this visit with only the foundation laid and the framing installed, they invited us over to pray around the space and to write scripture and blessings on the wood panels.
We prayed specific prayers over each of their kids’ rooms, wrote encouragements and verses under windows, around door frames, and along the walls. It was amazing to see that many people, family and friends, too, that showed up to love on and bless this couple who had been a blessing to so many, and to watch the couple faithfully dedicate their home back to the Lord. Nothing had ever painted a picture of the parable of the two foundations so clearly for me before.
“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 2The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27 CSB
I think about that day often, and I pray that one day I’ll be able to do the same with a home of my own. But it also makes me wonder what is my life truly standing on? What is my foundation? If everything on the surface was stripped away, what would remain?
One of my favorite worship songs this month has been “Build Your Life” by Housefires. It’s lyrics echo the passage above:
Worthy of every song we could ever sing.
Worthy of all the praise we could ever bring.
Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe.
We live for you.Jesus the name above every other name.
Jesus the only one who could save.
Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe.
We live for you. Oh we live for you.
Holy there is no one like you
There is none beside you
Open up my eyes in wonder
And show me who you are and fill me with your heart and lead me
In love to those around me.
And I will build my life upon your love it is a firm foundation.
And I will put my trust in you alone
Oh Lord and I will not be shaken.
And I will build my life upon your love it is a firm foundation.
And I will put my trust in you alone
Oh Lord and I will not be shaken.
With God and His Word as our foundation, we cannot be shaken. He will hold us steady when the winds blow, the rain pours, and the earth quakes. His love remains steadfast. May we never forget it.
