I was one frightened, traumatized young girl. Even though sixty years have passed, I still recall that scary evening most vividly. The weather was bitterly cold and windy, with snow blanketing our quiet, rural neighborhood. When I was awakened from sleep in the wee hours of the morning, I noticed that the drapes hanging on my bedroom windows were glowing red, and I panicked, calling for Mommy. We soon discovered that it was a reflection of the blaze that had engulfed one of our neighbor’s home. On my memory screen of that fateful evening, I can still see the firetrucks and water haulers making their desperate attempts to scale those slick, snow-covered roads in order to take on that blaze. By morning’s light, all that remained of that wood-framed home was the foundation, smoldering embers, and devastated lives.
If our faith is securely based on faith in Christ, He is the foundation of our lives, “For other foundation can no man lay that that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Nothing can destroy that foundation, NOTHING, it will stand sure for eternity. But we are warned to “take heed” of how we build on that foundation. We are not saved by works, but works are a natural outflowing of our trust in Christ, and without those works, our faith is dead. And we are promised that those works will someday be rewarded, as the fire of judgment will “try every man’s work of what sort it is.” Sort?
Isn’t it amazing that God is not concerned with the size of our work, but the sort of our work, and He purposefully draws a clear distinction between the two diametrically opposed building materials we can use to build our house. If we allow the Holy Spirit to bear fruit through us, depending wholly on Him for strength and guidance, we are building with “gold, silver, and precious stones…” and those priceless gems will endure the test of time, regardless of the size of the ministry. If we work through our own strength, our own talents and abilities, our own ego, what we can do through our own effort, we are using “…wood, hay, stubble” as our building supply, and it won’t last. Anything done apart from the power of the Holy Spirit will perish in the flame of judgment, just as that wood-frame home collapsed on that cold, winter night so long ago.
Depend on His leading as you attempt to accomplish anything for His name; lean upon Him, allowing Him to work His power through your availability and faithfulness. Our almighty God does not share His glory, His work must be accomplished through His Spirit, with His enabling. The Creator of the universe is not impressed by size, but deeply concerned with sort. To be honest, this is a tough hurdle for me, because I tend to jump into a situation, make my to-do lists, and overly organize everything, but do I include Him, lean on Him, wait on Him? Will I be able to lay that project before His throne someday, or will it perish in the flames of self-accomplishment? Anything done apart from His indwelling power will not last for eternity, but even the smallest area of service will reap great rewards when done through His might, and for His glory.
I Corinthians 3:12,13 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble…and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
Lord, only YOU can produce fruit as I give You my life as a conduit for Your Spirit to flow. Nothing done in my own strength will endure the test of eternity. Help me to constantly draw upon Your strength to accomplish Your work,