“Upon the rock foundation of Jesus Christ a wise builder uses bricks of love and obedience, not the straw and sticks of sinful living.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – August 10, 2022
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. Matthew 7:24
Truett Cathy, the admired founder of Chick-Fil-A, wisely mused, “It is better to build boys than to mend men.” The idea is a preventative approach to building an intentional life rather than a presumptuous, passive approach that one day has to pick up the pieces from unwise choices. Whether one is building a house, business, ministry or life, they all require timeless principles: a proven plan, a supportive team, practical application with a heart and mind of wisdom. A life that is able to withstand, even overcome, life’s trials is built on the foundation of faith in Jesus Christ. Christ, the cornerstone, is an immovable and solid structure to support an abundant life.
Jesus, being a carpenter by trade, contrasts from experience, a house with structural integrity with one foolishly constructed. He describes in detail two types of life foundations: one built on the rock and one built on the sand. The solid rock of faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior or the shifting sand of self-reliance and self-righteousness. Upon the rock foundation a wise builder uses bricks of obedience, not the straw and sticks of sinful living. So, when the storms of life hit hard there is a life built on belief in God, supported by a loving community who helps repair the damage. The ultimate storm is the final judgment where the quality of your works is tested. The fire will burn away the wood, hay and straw of sin, but the precious metals of obedience remain.
“If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work” (1 Corinthians 3:12-13).
To be a wise life builder is to be obedient to Christ’s commands, to not be a wise life builder is to be foolish and disobedient to Christ’s commands. Have you placed your total trust in the rock of Jesus Christ? Once you have Christ as your chief cornerstone, you are able to build a life of love, brick by brick with little acts of kindness, anonymous gifts of generosity and seeds of hope that over a lifetime grow orchards of beautiful fruit in other lives being built on the Lord.
Charles Spurgeon describes the peace of mind and heart for the life that is well built on Christ: “The Christian rests peacefully upon Christ. Troubles come one after another, but they do not sweep him away, they only endear to him the hope which is based upon Christ Jesus. And when at last death comes, that awful flood which will undermine everything that can be removed, it cannot find anything to shake in the wise builder’s hope. He rests on what Christ has done; death cannot affect that. He believes in a faithful God; and dying cannot affect that.” Seek to build your life on Christ and help others to faithfully build on Him. Then rest in His security. And when death knocks at the door of your life you can rest in what comes next—Jesus Christ.
“For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I place my faith in the rock of Jesus as my foundation as I build a life of obedience and love, through Christ’s love and in Jesus’ name, amen.
Application
How are you being intentional to build a life for the Lord and help those around you build a life on faith in Jesus Christ?
Related Reading
Isaiah 28:16; Amos 9:6; Luke 6:48; 1 Corinthians 3:10-11
Worship Resource
Jehovah Shalom Acapella: Rock of Ages
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