A STRONG FOUNDATION

The headline simply read “Whipping past Cuba, Ivan Roars into Gulf of Mexico.”  It would be Florida’s third hurricane in as many weeks.  It seemed endless, and people are growing weary.  As we saw the pictures on the internet, TV, and in the newspapers, we couldn’t help but notice the damage and destruction that these hurricanes leave behind.  Many were left homeless, countless millions had no electricity, and lives were being turned upside down.   

In recent years, we have seen devastation from the series of hurricanes that have come though the south eastern parts of our nation. As I watch the news, with coffee in hand, I am taken back to Matthew 5:45b which states “Because He causes the sun to rise on evil and good, and sends rain on the just and unjust.”  We will all go through storms, and sometimes “hurricanes” in our lives. That is a guarantee. Not one of us is exempt from these trying times.  It is not whether storms will come, the question is what will we do when they do come.

As I watched the news, it wasn’t what was destroyed that caught my eye, but that which remained. Something about these structures enabled them to endure.  The strength of their structures, the depth of their foundations caused them to withstand torrential rains and ravaging winds.  This lead me to examine the spiritual implications for our own lives.

What kind of foundation have I been building, what kind of structure do I have in my life? It needs to be more than just punching my card with token prayers and little Bible crumbs.  It needs to be more than a weekend faith, and a sometimes conviction.  It needs to be a growing and molding of who I am, into becoming more like Jesus.  It needs to be building the very core of who I want to be on the solid foundation of who Jesus is.

Many beautiful buildings were torn apart and at a great cost, because something in their structure was compromised.   What am I doing to prepare for the next big hurricane that is promised to come my way?  What is compromised in my life that may be revealed in the next storm?  Am I more concerned about the outside structure, or am I building a solid foundation that will last?

Our storms might be financial, spiritual, emotional, or relational.  Many were met unexpectedly by the trying times of our current economy.  Very few, if any of us are ready for tragedy when it knocks at our door.  While there is much we cannot be ready for, there are things in place that can prepare us for such times.

How prepared are we for the next time we get a phone call, and our world is turned upside down?  What will be revealed of our character, our convictions, our faith in Jesus?  I can already see the next storm, it is just on the horizon.  It could be bigger than the last one, it probably will test every area of weakness in the foundation of my life.  We must build a strong foundation to endure what might come.

Scott Tuttle - Student Ministries Operations and Events Director

Northern California and Nevada Assemblies of God Student Ministries