1 Corinthians 3:10 – According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it.
I will be the first to admit that I am not a builder. Don’t get me wrong, I can build things, but it is not something that I do consistently well. Last year I tried to build a potato box, and even though I completed this project, and it can hold potatoes, it was no where near what I wanted it to be. I had plans. I had the right tools. I had the right materials. I just didn’t have the skills needed.
So when I decided to take on my latest project I did so with much trepidation. Phase one of this project would be to build a deck. I have never built a deck from scratch, so I started doing research. I knew that my new deck would need to hold a lot of weight, so it had to be extra sturdy. I also knew that I had to balance this with cost and the amount of time it would take to complete the job. I settled on a design I liked and determined that because of the final use of the deck it would need to be 12 foot by 12 foot.
The deck would have to go where my current garden boxes sat, so the first task was to move those boxes.
Task one complete. Next I began to purchase the materials for the foundation. Like Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:10, I wanted to be careful how I build it. So I purchased 25 deck piers to go under the deck. I then purchased the wood, which would be 2X8 treated wood, along with all the hardware. Each pier would be 2 feet apart and then cross supports would be 18 inches apart. I wanted this foundation to be solid. Here is what it began to look like.
It took about 3 full days of work to get it complete and then another full day to put on the deck floor. I used composite as the flooring since it was going to get wet and I didn’t want to have to replace any of it. It was finally complete.
This foundation is solid. It will stand the test of time and will not be moved.
As I was looking at what I had done, with a little pride, I realized that I had built a strong foundation for this project and in my life a strong foundation had been built for me.
Growing up my mother always did devotions. She made sure we were in church on a regular basis. She prayed with us. This was the initial foundation that was laid. Then others came along and built upon that foundation. Church leaders, Sunday School teachers, mentors built upon the foundation that was laid. And all the while Jesus was the foreman who directed the work.
Now while it may seem that my foundation is complete and the work is finished, there is more to be done. The foundation of my life is Christ and He must continue to be the foreman who directs the building of my life. There may be times where I need to tear down a portion of what I have built, but the foundation remains secure.
I must be careful what I build from here on out. Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:18-19:
Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.
Poimen Chris 