Shore up those gaps

Building upon a strong foundation is important. The materials we acquire for the building must be put to use. I have a home improvement store (one of those huge ones) about one mile from the house. I love to take time to go up and down the aisles exploring the various things they have there. If I could have my "run of the store" without worrying about paying for the stuff, it would be like "heaven on earth"! From the little fasteners which seemingly disappear as they are put into the wood, or the drill bit adapter which creates that perfect angle by which you get that screw in at a perfect 45-degree angle, I could create and create and create! As long as those tools and materials remain at the local home improvement store, they are just materials. Unless we actually take into our possession what God gives us for building up our lives and put them to use in our lives, they are simply dreams we hold. We have been given great resources, but if we don't put into practice the Word of God, it is like a great pile of resources which goes untapped. Untapped resources might mean the difference between being able to withstand the storms of life and 'going under' when they come.

“Whoever hears these teachings of mine and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house. But it did not fall because it was built on rock. “Whoever hears these teachings of mine and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house. And it fell with a loud crash.” When Jesus finished speaking, the people were amazed at his teaching. He did not teach like their teachers of the law. He taught like someone who has authority. (Matthew 7:23-29)

The storms will come, but we don't have to be obsessed with them. I don't make a living staring at those radar screens like the meteorologists do at our local TV stations. Their mission in life is to give us as much "early warning" of inclement weather as possible so we stay safe and are prepared for what will come. If I spent all my life watching the horizon for what may come next, I would miss out on what is right in front of me today. The wise builder doesn't build "in the moment", reinforcing the structure for whatever "weather" is predicted for the day. He prepares for what will come by building for all manner of weather. He doesn't build in a flood area because he knows waters might come with such force so as to wash away his hard work. He doesn't forget to nail down the shingles because he knows the winds will come and leave his home exposed if he does. He doesn't neglect sealing the cracks and crevices because he knows the heat and cold will seek a way inside, making life hard to bear. He prepares in advance of what is sure to come. 

I think we can take a lesson here - not to be so concerned about what will come, but to allow the right attention to the details of what gets "worked into" our lives up front so that we are prepared when the issues arise which might come against us like gale force winds and raging currents. If they do, we are well-prepared and on a strongly anchored foundation. Get God's Word into you and you will be amazed at how strong that foundation becomes. Let his Word change the way you respond to life's events, and you will likely 'shore up' places where you once were weak and your resistance to the storms was quite ineffective. Just sayin!