Foundations
As a farm girl, I’ve always been fascinated by old barns, particularly those still standing sturdy and tall generations after being raised by rugged farm folk. The secret to its longevity lay in its straight and sturdy foundation. What keeps old barns standing firmly throughout the years is also what keeps Christians like you and me standing tall, weathering the storms of life without crashing into mere relics of what once stood strong.
The secret is our strong foundation —a foundation built upon the truth of God’s Word, the Bible. The foundation stones of our life are the truths that God reveals in Scripture.
I was pondering this idea as I prepared for an upcoming interview about my new book, Thriving in the Barren Place. I began to consider the subtitle of my book: How Trust in God Fueled My Journey Through Heartache and Loss. Yes, it was my trust in God that empowered me to keep following Him, even in the darkness, and lean into His sovereign plans when they made no sense to me. However, I wondered how I learned to trust Him. Was there something more rudimentary that preceded trust? Clarity dawned as I dug deeper among the foundation stones of my life. I found that beneath the foundation stones of trust in God was the bedrock of His word, the Bible.
Everything that we know of God, redemption, our great salvation, Jesus Christ, His atoning sacrifice, resurrection, ascension, the Holy Spirit, the church, living out our faith, prayer, our blessed hope, and Christ’s triumphant return, we find in Scripture.
The Scripture was vital to my survival in the barren place; in fact, I couldn’t have made it without the truth of Scripture. Without the truth of Scripture, I would have had no solid foundation on which to stand. When the torrents of life descended upon me, I would have been swept out to sea—a casualty of my harsh circumstances.
Because the foundation stones of my faith had been firmly laid early in life by godly parents, when the torrential rains of life swept in hard upon me, I was already standing upon the bedrock of truth. Though the winds beat relentlessly against me, I knew where to find shelter from the storms and how to reinforce and build upon the solid foundation already in place.
In the Scriptures, I learned Who God is and that He is worthy of my complete trust. I learned that this God Who thundered from Sinai, and yet talked with Moses as Friend with friend, was the same God Who invited me into intimate friendship and communed with me in prayer. He was big enough to carry all my burdens and act in divine wisdom on my behalf. Exodus 33:7-11
In the Scriptures, I learned that He is both tender and terrifying. His ways are higher than ours, yet He carries us in compassion, like a shepherd does a lamb. This massive, powerful God tenderly bandaged my confused and wounded heart and stooped to walk with me in my pain. Isaiah 40:11-14 & 21-31
Through Scripture, I learned that there is purpose in our pain. Gold is refined by fire; steel is tempered in the flames. There was purpose in the pain; He was doing something deep and beautiful in this suffering. 1 Peter 1:6-7
Through the Scriptures, I learned that He is always with us. He was with me in late-night vigils, in hospital rooms, ER bays, PICU units, and even in Matthew’s death. His tender presence was my strength and song because His word dwelt within me as a familiar friend. Colossians 3:16-17
In the Scriptures, I read of the Holy Spirit igniting His word within me, empowering me to live a life of uncanny strength—strength that flows straight from the Scriptures into my soul as I immerse myself in the truth of Scripture. 2 Corinthians 12: 9
In Scripture, I also learned that there is life after death. For the Christian, there is no fear in death, for it is merely a transition into our heavenly home. This blessed hope lifts our eyes toward eternity and to our glorious future among saints, angels, and God Himself. Because of this true and living hope, I know that Matthew is unfettered by special needs, whole and free. We will be reunited, as I have learned through the Scriptures. 1 Peter 1:3-5
It was the holy Scriptures that revealed Christ to me, and it was through the Scriptures that my Jesus came to walk with me through this journey of heartbreak and loss. It was through the Scriptures that the Ancient of Days became my intimate Friend. He was with me because His word dwelt within me as a faithful friend, therefore I can say with full-throated devotion:
“Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.” Psalm 119:97
“Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.” Psalm 119:111
And so, like the weathered barns that remain straight and sturdy through many storms, I pray that I too remain strong and true, not because I am strong, but because my foundation is fixed to the bedrock of the eternal word of God.