By Jeffrey A. Klick, Ph.D.

If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?  (Psalm 11:3)

The Psalmist David asks this question, and it is worth exploring. Most of us do not have to think too hard to realize that our society is in big trouble. Marriages are being destroyed, all manner of hideous crimes are being committed by even young children, moral restraint is almost unheard of, and evil seems to be winning the day. The daily news via TV or online outlets is mostly a depressing gathering of stories revealing that the foundations are cracked and ready to crumble into a pile of dust! “What can the righteous do?” is indeed an excellent question.

A good beginning for our reply is to recognize and begin to address the root problems. “Why” is a question that needs to be asked. Why are we in this condition? Why is marriage falling apart and being rapidly replaced with cohabitation and alternate lifestyles? Why are young children becoming violent and callus? Why is the Church seemingly ineffective? One of the benefits of getting older is that we realize that we no longer have, or need to have all of the answers to every question. It is true that there are many possible answers to the questions posed, and any simple response will be incomplete. However, that does not mean we should not attempt to look at these questions and pursue a different course of action than currently being followed. Even though we cannot do, or understand everything, we should do something!

Many individual lives fall apart because storms hit (death, disease, divorce, etc.), and they are unprepared or never dreamed that tragedy would happen to them. History shows that nations (made up of individuals) often reject God and replace Him with other gods like mammon, power, humanism, and a host of other idols. Each of these false gods pretend to provide a solid foundation, but the storms test their ability. What can be shaken will be, and that is a promise from the one, true God.

At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens. This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe. (Hebrews 12:26-28 ESV)

Rain, wind and floods come to everyone, but destruction is tied to our foundation. If we are building upon The Rock, we will stand. If we build upon the foundation of any other god, we will fall. “Other gods” come in many shapes and disguises. I already referred to money, power, and human reasoning. How about greed, selfishness, false religion, pride, judgmentalism, legalism, secularism, having a temporal focus, to name a few more? Building our lives and marriages upon these foundations of sand will not stand the test of storms.

We do not want to build on these false gods, so what should we build upon?  Part of the answer resides in two passages that I already quoted. There is a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and Jesus said that if His words are heard and acted upon, we would stand in the time of the storm. Simply put: we must be those that obey Jesus and have as our main desire, the furthering of His Kingdom. Most of us are very familiar with these words and concepts, but walking them out is a different matter. Let us consider two very important passages:

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33 ESV)

Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. (John 14:21 ESV)

If we are “seeking first the kingdom of God,” then whatever else there may be in our life must take a lower place. There cannot be two first places. Seeking God with all of our heart, all of our soul, and our entire mind, as we are commanded in multiple places, suggests that this pursuit must be all encompassing. We proclaim the Jesus is Lord, and this is good and right. How often have we stopped to consider what that really means? Lordship is an exclusive title and claim. There cannot be two supreme lords ruling in our lives at the same time for one must take preeminence over the other. Jesus said we cannot serve God and money and we cannot have two lords sitting on the throne of our life either.

Who sits as Lord in our homes? Who is Lord over our marriage? Who is Lord over how we train our children? If Jesus is not the foundation of our home, whatever we attempt to build will be rocked by the storms of life and will collapse. If Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone, then what we built will stand in the day of testing.  What foundation are we building upon?

The good news is that each day is new and provides an opportunity for change! If we have not been building properly, we still can. Don’t waste the new day. Begin to build something that will endure in the face of trial, wind and storm. They will come, but destruction is optional. Build wisely.

Copyright © 2012, Foundation Restoration.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No reproduction allowed without written permission from Foundation Restoration and/or the author.

Pastor Jeff Klick is the founder and Pastor of Hope Family Fellowship with the focus on restoring the family to health. He holds a Masters Degree in Pastoral Ministry, A Doctorate Degree in Biblical Studies, and a Ph.D. in Pastoral Ministry and has written 2 books geared to assist families. Pastor Jeff also assists new church plants through the Association of the Restoration of Church and Home, and 4FIC, a new ministry to assist family-integrated churches. For more information please visit his website – http://www.jeffklick.com or his church website – www.hopefamilyfellowship.org