Foundations

⁴⁶“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? ⁴⁷I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. ⁴⁸He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. ⁴⁹But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” Luke 6:46-49

This parable about building on a firm foundation has always fascinated me. Again, I really love God’s symbolism, and Jesus truly knew how to use it. In this parable we can see the obvious that when we build our lives on the foundation of God’s Word, on Christ who is truth, we are unshakable in our faith through the storms of life.

But I’m seeing a new part to this Scripture. If you look at verse 48, specifically the part about the man “building a house, who dug down deep,” the words take on some figurative meanings as well as literal in the Greek translation.

The Greek word used here for building is oikodomeo, which means to build, but also comes from the root word meaning to edify or for edification. Interesting to think about, especially if we consider edification in terms of teaching and improving. This reflects the process of how we learn more about God and grow as we build our foundation upon Christ.

But even more exciting is the “dug down deep” part. The Greek word used for deep here is bathuno, and has such a rich meaning that goes beyond the literal result of digging deep. It also means deep, extreme poverty, the deep things of God, things hidden and above man’s scrutiny, especially divine counsels.

I hope this excites you as much as it does me. Christ is speaking in these Scriptures using a literal action to express a figurative meaning. He’s speaking of this builder as digging deeper into the things of God, pursuing God for understanding and stability. The builder removed all the loose sand (lies, half truths, deceptions, misconceptions, worldly influences) to reach rock (God’s truth, his Son Jesus) in order to build his house (his life in all aspects—emotional, physical, spiritual).

When we skate along the surface of our faith, we’re not digging into the changing sands of our lives to reach God’s truth. The sad part of this is we not only have faulty structures, we miss out on knowing our amazing God as a friend.

For a time my house wasn’t built on a foundation of Christ and I do not wish that on anyone. I’ve never been fond of roller coasters either. But the last few years have proven how vital that foundation is when the hardest storms hit and make life feel like a roller coaster ride without end. I’ve been able to stand firm as some of the worst storms have hit my family.

So I’d like to encourage you to dig deep and don’t ever stop digging and building your foundation on Jesus and God’s Word. The prize is a house (an internal and eternal life) that won’t crash around you and a friendship with our amazing Lord. And that’s the exact testimony our world needs to see.

Praying and believing,
Dineen

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