Is Your Foundation Slipping?
The Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy is going to fall. Scientists travel yearly to measure the building’s slow descent. They report that the 179-foot tower moves about one-twentieth of an inch a year, and is now 17 feet out of plumb. Quite significantly, the word “pisa” means “marshy land,” which gives some clue as to why the tower began to lean even before it was completed. Also–its foundation is only 10 feet deep! Here are some facts about the tower of Pisa.
It took two centuries to build it
The tower leans because of ill-conceived design plans
At one point, the tower’s lean switched directions
The lean kept getting progressively worse.
The engineer who oversaw the reclamation project wasn’t always an expert in the field.
The tower could still resume tilting. (courtesy Mentalfloss)
Of course, we know that foundations are important and I have posted numerous blogs about the importance of having Jesus as your foundation. But Jesus is not only our foundation, but the cornerstone of our foundation and the absolute need of all believers is to build their whole life and existence on this cornerstone, Jesus Christ. Here is how Peter put it in 1 Peter 2:4 You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. Notice the attitude of the world about Jesus being the cornerstone in verse 4 where it says “He was rejected by people.” Maybe you are around people who reject the thought that Jesus Christ is our “reason for living” and our “cornerstone for living.” I have been in the ministry for almost forty years and I have seen numerous people who totally reject the thought that we can base our “everything” on Jesus Christ. Christians and non-Christians alike have this thought process, and to tell you the truth my faith has been tested many times when things don’t go the way I thought they should go. But praise God He makes Himself evident again and again and my foundation holds strong.
Maybe today your foundation has slipped a little and your faith is really being tested and you need a burst of encouragement. We get it when we read on in 1 Peter:
5 And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests.Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. 6 As the Scriptures say, “I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” This means you are God’s chosen people and you have great value for His plans and if the enemy can tear at your foundation (Jesus Christ) and make that relationship slip just a little you will start to lean. Lean toward what? Lean toward the world’s way of thinking!!
Remember, the Leaning Tower of Pisa only leans one twentieth of an inch per year, but it continues to lean until it is more noticeable the more time goes by. Early in my ministry a Godly man told me about the threat of Humanism in the world of the church and I just listened and totally discounted the whole thing as Him being radical. At that point I leaned “just a little” in my thinking and rejected the thought of what he said was true. So that little lean compromised by foundational thinking and it allowed me to believe (or drink the Koolaid) of the world because I didn’t see what he was trying to tell me. How stupid can I be? Pretty stupid! Praise God the Lord came back to me in a rush and I got back on track and the rest is my history.
When Jesus is the foundation for our life the “slipping” process goes “out the door!” There is no bending or ignoring spiritual insights that don’t line up with our present world. I have to remind myself daily that we “are in the world and not of the world.” 1 John 2:15 says “15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.”
Don’t let your foundation slip but keep current in your relationship with Jesus by spending time with Him. In fact, the Lord will give you deep insights into the whole picture if you will dedicate yourself to this deepened relationship. Psalm 42:7 says (NIV) Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. Allow God to overwhelm you with His spiritual waterfall and draw deeper in your relationship with Him. He is calling you to a deeper place and in that place your foundation will be sure as you rely on Jesus Christ, our cornerstone. Time to stop and step back and look at your life from a distance and see where you are leaning and ask God to “shore up” those leaning parts and lean into Jesus and Him alone. Then you will be a living stone to be used by Him for His glory.
In closing, number two of the facts about the Leaning Tower of Pisa says The tower leans because of ill-conceived design plans. Our plans should be centered around trusting the Lord for our direction as Proverbs 3:5-6 says “5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
Stop slipping more and more to look and think like the world and “flip the switch!” Have a change of heart and see what God can do with a totally sold out heart and life that is built on Him alone. You will not be disappointed by giving your life totally to Christ, our great hope. Romans 5:5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
The Pilgrimage continues…..
David Warren