THE RIGHT FOUNDATION
Opening Prayer
Spirit of God, you transcend all that is and flow through all that is. I begin this day releasing you afresh in my life.
Read 1 Corinthians 3:10–17
10 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. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 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. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Consider the story of Job, who, in a short time, lost his children, his riches and his health, yet still said, ‘May the name of the Lord be praised’ (Job 1:21). How would you react under similar circumstances?Have you ever watched a toddler building a tower of bricks and seen their dismay (or delight!) as the tower crashes over? Gradually they learn that the firmer the base of the tower, the more stable the whole structure is. In these verses, Paul tells the Corinthians that there is no point in building amazing showy structures, unless the foundations are correct (v 10). Our lives are like buildings to display God’s glory, so first we need to ensure that we are building on a firm foundation – and the only fail-safe foundation is Jesus. Job’s troubles revealed that his foundations were secure – how about us?
Having secured the right foundation, Paul explains that it matters how we build. We are God’s temple, and God’s temple is sacred. Do our lifestyle, our choices, our service, our study contribute to the development of a costly durable structure, honoring God, or are we filling our lives with worthless stuff that could be burned away (vs 12,13)?
Apply
Why not make time over this weekend for a ‘spiritual survey’ of your life? Ask the Lord to show you how secure your foundation is in him. And what about your building on those foundations – how much of your life is valuable, how much is chaff?
Closing prayer
Loving Lord, you are the rock that I seek to build my life on. I pray the Holy Spirit will enable me to make wise decisions for my spiritual growth.
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