They Key is in the Foundation

A Mary Kay consultant once told me, "Foundation is skin care."  She meant, it should be included as part of the process of caring for your skin, as much as cleanser and lotion.

Sadly, I've never gotten into the habit of daily foundation wearing.

When I think about strong Christians who have weathered storms I can't imagine enduring and who are often so full of joy, I wonder: what's their secret?  A couple of readings last week highlighted the answer to that question.  Their secret is in their foundation.  Two passages from Scripture:

I Samuel 1-5: Eli, a priest of God, who ministered to Hannah when she cried out to God for a son and who subsequently raised her miracle, answer-to-prayer son, Samuel, had a pair of despicable sons.  As a result of their behavior and his unwillingness to reign them in, God gave Samuel a word for Eli concerning his terrible future fate.  After hearing the prophesy, Eli says, "He is the LORD; let Him do what is good in His eyes."

It's terrible news: his sons will die; he will die.  Yet Eli submits to the plan.  He knows something about God: He is the LORD.

Eli lets God be God, even when the news is not good for him.

A second passage: Psalm 112:1, 6-8

Praise the Lord. 

Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
   who finds great delight in his commands. 

Surely he will never be shaken;
   a righteous man will be remembered forever.
He will have no fear of bad news;
   his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
His heart is secure, he will have no fear;
   in the end he will look on triumph on his foes.

The man who fears the LORD is unshakable, steadfast, secure.  Whatever the news, whatever life throws his way, he need not fear, tremble, or worry.  The secret?  His foundation.

Said foundation is built on solid rock, the sold rock of God Himself.  Yes, God is God, and He may do as He pleases.  That can sound so ominous.  Curiously, one thing that pleases Him is calling people to be His own: people like Israel who he rescued not because of their righteousness (Deut 9:6) but for His purposes, and people like you and me who He redeemed at just the right time ... while we were still sinners. (Rom 5:5, 6)  We can trust Him because He has proven Himself faithful over and over.  Jesus submitted to death on a cross: death has died, life has come, all things are being made new.

How firm a foundation!

We must begin on and maintain this foundation.  Our faith depends on it, as skin is protected by liquid foundation!

I've been feeling blown about, lately, inside and out.  How sustaining to remember on Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand!  God will do what is good in His eyes, and the more we believe that and trust Him, the less we will be shaken when life's winds blow.

And they will blow.  But,

The LORD is my light and my salvation.

Whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of m life --

of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 27:1