Solid Foundation
By Jennie Pierce
“He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.”
Psalm 40:2
When my family decided to go on a frisbee golf outing, I knew I was in trouble. I had been warned about two ponds strategically placed on the course that were slimy, stinky and stagnant. Those disgusting ponds, paired up with my inability to accurately throw a disc, guaranteed a lose-lose situation for me.
Sure enough, it didn’t take long before I landed my disc in one of those ponds. Mustering up my courage…and stupidity…I proceeded to look for my disc. I carefully eased my feet into the water, only to feel the most disgusting, slippery mud ooze between my toes and suck me in. In fact, the mud was so slippery, I literally could not stand up. The only way to lurk around for my disc was to lean forward with my hands and crawl around on all fours. One slight, sudden move would send me plunging down. Even with the aid of a large stick, I could not maneuver, and failed to retrieve my long, lost disc…all as the result of one really bad aim.
Life is like that sometimes. One wrong decision, one act of disobedience, one fleshly response…and before we know it, we’re floundering, slipping, trying to keep from going under. Our firm footing has turned into mush.
Jesus Christ Himself claims to be the most reliable foundation there is; and, fearing Him—as in reverencing Him and having a wholesome dread of displeasing Him—is the key to having that treasure. With a firm foundation, we will not be shaken when life’s storms assail. When we’re walking obediently with Him, He is pleased with us and gives our feet firm, solid ground on which to stand. And, when we do end up messing up, we’re reminded that even His love stands firm forever (Psalm 89:2)! As the old hymn so accurately reminds us, “On Christ the Solid Rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.” (1)
GOING DEEPER:
1. On what are you relying as your foundation? If it’s something other than Jesus Himself, it is nothing more than temporal and unreliable. Let Jesus be your true, One Foundation.
FURTHER READING:
Psalm 37:23; Isaiah 33:6; 1 Corinthians 3:11; Matthew 7:25
(1) The Solid Rock, words by William Bradbury
Jennie is a wife and mother of three. She has started a brand-new faith adventure as the Pierce family has left Oakwood to serve in ministry at United Church of Crook, Colorado.
