Foundations

Any woman or make-up artist will tell you that a good base is essential.

Foundation is important.  It's what everything else is built on.

It's the same with buildings and constructions (so I'm told).  The larger the building, the deeper the foundations need to be.  Wikipedia provides a useful diagram explaining this complex idea:

If we want to have steady and firm, solid lives, we need solid and firm foundations.  It is easy to read the Bible or listen to a talk or chat to friends about faith or be moved by the words of a song.  And then forget it.  It bounces off the skin and doesn't sink beneath the surface.  Our foundations are shallow.

If we want deep foundations, we have to let God's words work their way into our lives:

"If you work the words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep and laid the foundation of his house on bedrock.  When the river burst its banks and crashed against the house, nothing could shake it; it was built to last.  But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a dumb carpenter who built a house but skipped the foundation.  When the swollen river came crashing in, it collapsed like a house of cards.  It was a total loss."

[Luke 6:48-49 MSG, emphasis mine]

Sometimes we need to dig deep and excavate our foundations.  We find that we have built our lives and our beliefs on false foundations that are not based on God's truths.  We have shaky, shallow foundations which are based on our own ideas and understanding; they are based on false 'truths' and they can't support us when difficulties come.

We need to dig up these false foundations and start over.  And we need to work God's word into the depths of our soul.

"There is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ."

[1 Corinthians 3:12 MSG]

There is only one firm foundation. And His name is Jesus.

Let's build on Him.