A Firm Foundation
Scripture
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.
18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; 20 and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” 21 So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God. (1 Corinthians 3:10-23).
Reflection
If you’ve ever purchased furniture requiring assembly, you no doubt are familiar with legs, arms, and many bolts and screws lying on the floor next to an instruction manual. I remember putting together an office chair. Assembly instructions came with it; I picked up the instructions and tossed them to the side as I thought I could tackle this project on my own. One misplaced bolt led to another unused screw, and it wasn’t long before I was desperately searching for the instructions I’d discarded earlier.
I thought reading the instructions would be an unnecessary waste of time, but I spent even more time having to disassemble the mess I’d made before reading the instructions and starting over. The quality of my work did not stand the test, but the assembly instructions with directions laid out in detail proved to be a necessary foundation for my work.
In 1 Corinthians 3:10–11, Paul wrote that Jesus Christ is the foundation laid for us: “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.” Paul’s ability to build the church was founded in the grace of God on Jesus Christ. Others would build on that foundation, but their work, if not done according to God’s instruction, would be tested and found worthless.
Our lives remind me of assembling the office chair except, instead of an inactive instruction manual, we have a greater source of authority and power to turn to: the living and breathing Word of God, our spiritual roadmap and compass. We need the Word of God to guide every part of our lives.
Oftentimes we are tempted to shift God’s Word to the side and try to build our lives on our own. Then we find that things get messy. If during this season of Lent, you find yourself in that place, know that you are not alone. Jesus invites us to put our full trust in him, our solid rock and firm foundation, and God has given us his Spirit to guide us.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, we confess that, time and time again, we try to put together the many pieces and bits of our lives on our own, but then we realize our brokenness and turn to you in desperation. Please forgive us for relying on our own strength. Help us to look to you, our rock and foundation. Amen.
2024 Lenten Journey
Adrian Brown