Foundations That Endure: Building Your Life on Christ

“Through skilful and godly Wisdom, a house - a life, a home, a family - is built, and by understanding it is established (on a sound and good foundation), and by knowledge its rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches” (Proverbs 24:3-4 Amplified Bible).

Welcome back dear student, no dedicated builder builds a house planning for it to fall down. Everything is done well, to ensure that the walls, and roof are strong enough to withstand every circumstance. It’s essential the foundation is laid correctly in order to anchor the structure. God speaks often in Scripture about the ‘house’ – as a symbol of one’s life. Did you know that God is a Builder? “For every house has a builder, but the One Who built everything is God” (Hebrews 3:4). The house picture is not just the individual’s life, but one’s legacy.

Next week we will celebrate the legacy Patrick left here in Ireland: as part of God’s family of faith. Biblically, a house suggests one’s life and ministry, and also, one’s household - family we build and leave behind - like the ‘House of David’ in God’s Word. Understanding that God is the Master Builder of all brings us into a place of humility and trust, looking to Him for our stability and future: rather than relying on our own efforts. Jesus mentioned this when He encouraged people to build their lives upon faith in Him as God’s Messiah – the Eternal Rock, as opposed to building on sand - human effort, which will give way at some point with disastrous consequences (Matthew 7:24-27).

When we build our lives upon Jesus, the Word of God, we enrich not only ourselves, but our posterity as mentioned in our lead Scripture above (Isaiah 59:21). Jesus is our Wonderful Counsellor. By the power of His Holy Spirit, He gives us Wisdom and insight to reign in life, far beyond our own intellect or education (Isaiah 9:6-7). “Wisdom is the principal thing”, the Word tells us (Proverbs 4:7). James wrote that ‘if any of us need Wisdom, to ask God Who gives it generously’ (James 1:5-6). God’s Wisdom directs us in the right way, unfolding His knowledge and plans as we grow to know Him more.

Builders work off detailed plans to accurately build good houses. God has blueprints for us to follow, but to find them we must go to Him, and ask! Pride prevents some people from accessing God’s resources. They think they know better themselves, or perhaps, past trauma causes them to find it hard to trust anyone. Our Creator knows us more than we know ourselves, and His plans for us are “for good, and not evil, to give us a future and a Hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Without Light folks have to grope around in darkness trying to find the way. But when the lights are on, everything is visible and makes sense (Proverbs 4:18). There are no secret traps in a well-lit area (Psalm 119:105). We need God’s Wisdom daily, not just on big occasions. Relief comes from leaning upon God’s Wisdom. “God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit, God made Him to be Wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; He made us pure and holy, and He freed us from sin” (1 Corinthians 1:30).

Because of what Jesus did for us by paying for our sins, He delivered us from the power of death and hell (John 12:35-46).Faith in Him, and trusting His ways and plans, enables us to build noble lives, and noble family bloodlines – forgiven and redeemed from the past, our foundations underpinned and repaired, so we can face the future strong, stable, and joyful!

Happy St Patrick’s Day friends.

Upcoming diary date: Jean Watson ministers at WOV on 26th March!