Foundation

Living in Europe has given me a new perspective on what it means to have a firm foundation.  The buildings all around me are hundreds, if not thousands, of years old and even though their walls have crumbled and some have completely collapsed there is one thing that they had in common... their foundation was firm.

Walking around I am captivated and in aww at the buildings that surround me.  But until today I've never given a second thought to the fact that without a deep and strong foundation the buildings would not be able to support themselves.  The first evidence of strong weather would topple them.

Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.  Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse, because it is built on rock.  But anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.  When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will fall with a mighty crash. ~ Matthew 7:24-27 

As Christians we are called to build upon a foundation that is infinitely stronger and deeper than a foundation for any manmade structure.  God calls us to build upon the knowledge of Him.  If we do this we will become the structures that everyone walks past admiring and holding in aww.  They think they are marveling at us, but in all actuality, it is our foundation, Christ in us, that they hold in amazement!

If we build upon Jesus Christ, our cornerstone, then even when the storms of life threaten to knock us down our foundation is secure.  Yeah sure, we may end up with hail damage, broken windows, busted siding, etc., BUT our foundation is still strong, allowing us to rebuild, from the ground up if we have to!

Walking along the ruins, my eyes dart from one place to another taking in all of my surroundings.  Wondering who used to walk this same path?  What life must have been like?  What did the building look like in it full glory?  Then when I least expect it, I whack my foot against the rocks, tripping over the foundation of buildings that have come and gone, but their foundation is still their.  It may be buried and needing to be excavated or it may be poking it's nose out of the ground but firm foundations don't go anywhere.  Our foundation is buried deep within us and is made evident in our lives by what we say, do and the way we live.

Come to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God's temple.  He was rejected by the people, but he is precious to God who chose him.  And now God is building you, as living stones, into his spiritual temple.  What's more, you are God's holy priests, who offer the spiritual sacrifices that please him because of Jesus Christ.  As the Scriptures express it, "I am placing a stone in Jerusalem, a chosen cornerstone, and anyone who believes in him will not be disappointed."  Yes, he is very precious to you who believe.  But for those who reject him, "The stone that was rejected by the builders has now become the cornerstone."  And the Scriptures also say, "He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that will make them fall."  They stumble because they do not listen to God's word or obey it, and so they meet the fate that has been planned for them.  But you are not like them, for you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God's holy nation, his very own possession.  This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.  "Once you were not a people; now you are the people of God.  Once you received none of God's mercy; now you have received his mercy."  Dear brothers and sisters, you are foreigners and aliens here.  So I warn you to keep away from evil desires because they fight against your very souls.  Be careful how you live among your unbelieving neighbors.  Even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will believe and give honor to God when he comes to judge the world. ~ 1 Peter 2:4-12  

As Christians, we are always being surveyed, just like the ruins in Europe.  People are watching our every move trying to figure out... What paths have they walked?  What is their life like?  I wonder what they will look like at their peak of greatness?  We need to make sure that our foundation is secure and that we are living the life we were called to live!

But God's truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription:  "The Lord knows those who are his," and "Those who claim they belong to the Lord must turn away from all wickedness." ~ 2 Timothy 2:19 

Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God. ~ Matthew 3:8

LORD of the Harvest

Matthew 11:28-30

Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you.  Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light."

I cannot tell you how many times I've read these verses and it struck me last night as I read them again... I have really ever only focused on the first part, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."  It may be because I felt so much comfort in it or because I conjure up the mental image of collapsing in Jesus' arms to just rest.  I guess I never really looked deeper into the verses.  After Jesus says He will give us rest, He then proceeds to pass onto us the opportunity to take on His yoke.  

 

yoke   [yohk]     noun

1.  a device for joining together a pair of draft animals, especially oxen, usually consisting of a crosspiece with two bow-shaped pieces, each enclosing the head of an animal.

2.  a pair of draft animals fastened together by a yoke: five yoke of oxen.

3.  something resembling a yoke or a bow of a yoke in form or use.

4.  a frame fitting the neck and shoulders of a person, for carrying a pair of buckets or the like, one at each end.  

 

Wait a minute, I don't know about you, but I associate placing a yoke on with work.  The more I thought about it the more I think Jesus does too, but in a different light.  A yoke is created to alleviate the strain and weight of certain tasks.  However, for the yoke to be effective it has to have equal weight distribution; whether that be to the thing you are yoked with or the loads suspended from either side.  If the weight distribution isn't right, It makes the job harder and it is much more likely that you will stumble and fall.  

Jesus states that the yoke He is offering will inturn lead to rest.  I think this is possible becuase He has created it to fit us perfectly (with as little discomfort as possible) and He has already taken care of the weight issue.  As we are yoked to Him in tandem, He gives us the strength to carry on.  And when it seems that we are shouldering the load all by ourselves, He has already worked out the balancing act of what we are carrying.  If we seek His direction and learn from Him our load become light and leads to rest in Him. It is only when we try to take on more than we should that we begin to add rocks to one bucket or the other, never thinking to add to both sides.

I think the part that struck me most about these verses is the misconception that I always associated it with them.  I had always just assumed that when Jesus promises us rest, that it meant there was no work involved.  However, He states the exact opposite.  YES, we do receive rest and a lighter load, but nowhere does He mention that He will take away our load all together.  In fact He states that He is even giving us a burden and the burden I give you is light.  

I have come to love the image of us always in constant labor.  It gives me a sense of satisfaction and job well done, but when we try to do the work on our own, we are like oxen yoked up and running wild in the fields.  Without the direction of the farmer we would ruin the field and later the harvest.  I don't know about you, but that is one thing I do not want to do!

LORD, 

I ask that you would please help me to give into your direction and guidance, I am asking you to be the farmer who guides me to plow up Your fields the way you want it done.  Lord, when I get bull-headed and try to head off in my own direction, please reign me back in and set me straight.  Lord, lead me by your hand through the field of the life you have blessed me with.  Help me to be a continual learner of your ways and to hand my unbalanced burdens and loads over to you for a new weight distribution.  Lord, I thank you that You are such a mighty God that You can do all of these things.  It is in your precious and holy name that I pray. 

Amen