My Stronghold

 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 
-Psalm 18:2

I can't say it better than the Bible. 

God is my rock and refuge. He's the solid foundation of my life.

Sandy Beach or Rocky Shore?

Matthew 7:24-27
Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine [Jesus] and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.

In the course of a day we walked on a sandy beach and stood upon a rocky shore. In the afternoon as my foot touched the warm sand on one of Lake Erie's beaches, the tiny grains shifted beneath my feet. I had to make an effort to keep my balance. I scooped a handful of sand and let it sift through my fingers. Each bit sprinkled to the shore and was washed away by the tide. Beautiful but not a solid foundation.

Later in the evening, Tim and searched for the perfect spot to enjoy the sunset. We found huge rocks along the shore of the lake. As we climbed out to secure a place, the boulder I stood on felt solid under my feet. Waves crashed against the rocks, but we stayed put, in place, safe from the stormy water. From our safe spot we viewed orange, pinks and blues as the sun dipped down.

As Jesus told the story of where to build a house— on sand or on rock, he wanted his listeners to understand they needed a solid foundation for their faith. He was asking, "Will your faith shift like sand and be pulled out from under you? Or will your faith have a well-built foundation, strong, durable in times of trouble, secure?" Jesus cares about our faith. His desire is that we have a faith as solid as a rock that can't be moved. He wants us to be certain that our faith will stand up against the difficulties of life and give us confidence to serve him. I'm thankful that when I accepted Jesus as my Savior, God instilled the Holy Spirit in me so I would have a solid foundation, a reminder of my faith, a guide in life. I've built my faith on the solid rock of Jesus. I love him and he loves me. Praise God for Jesus Christ!

Cement and Grace

1 Corinthians 3:10-11
By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 

Down the street from our condominium, construction workers have been digging in the dirt. They’ve scooped, smoothed, and moved the sod and soil with shovels and backhoes. A cement truck roared into action this week as the workers laid block. Like the home we live in, the new structure will have a solid base to stand on. I’ve seen houses that don’t have a firm foundation. They’re unsettled, crumble and fall.

Penny Frost McGinnis

Much like a house, life needs a firm foundation. I could’ve built my life on my love of books, my job, my family, money, or my fondness for nature. Instead I chose to stand on the foundation God gave in his Son, Jesus. He’s my rock. As long as I stand on him, I stand firm. I love Jesus and praise him for his sacrifice. Like the cement truck that pours concrete for the house to stand, God pours his grace under me. Praise God for his Son!

Is your foundation solid?