What is the foundation stone of your life? We read in I Peter 2:7, “The stone the workmen threw out is now the chief foundation stone” (The Message). The implications of this statement are significant when men consider how their lives have been shaped more by the culture rather then by the gospel. The foundation stone is the most important part of the foundation. When it is not in place the rest of the foundation and whatever else is built on it is unstable. Those who have shaped our culture have thrown out the foundation stone. In other words, Jesus has been regarded as having little influence in the shaping of our lives. This means that we will need to continually examine the foundations of our life in relation to the foundation stone.
I would suggest that men need to do the work of excavating in order the examine the foundation on which their lives are built. The foundations of our life are hidden and rarely noticed. But when there are cracks in the foundation of our lives we feel it and life become more difficult. We easily go into “damage control” trying secure the foundations. But if Jesus isn’t our foundation stone, we are pretty much on our own, trying to make sense of what is going on. Earlier in Chapter 2 of I Peter, Jesus is referred to as “the stone, the source of life.” “Whoever trusts in this stone as a foundation, will never have cause to regret it.” Notice the word “trust.” When we trust Jesus as the foundation stone, even if we don’t fully understand all that is going on, we have the promise that there will be no regret because he is the source of life
So when life gets difficult and you feel insecure and fearful, it might be a good idea to examine the foundations of your life. Is Jesus still at the center or are you focused on something else. If you are then you are moving away from the foundation stone. You are building your career and lifestyle on an insecure foundation. This can happen almost unnoticed. We begin to give our time, energy and resources to something that takes the place of Jesus as Lord of our life. When this happens the foundation stone is being neglected. Soon the cracks begin to appear and we have to go into manage control.
But when we take regular inventory of our foundations by doing some spiritual excavating we can become aware of our focus moving away from the foundation stone. Peter tells us that the workmen took one look at the foundation stone and throw it out, but “God set it in the place of honor.” This means that God’s favor and grace is found in the life that has Jesus as the foundation stone. As long as the foundation stone is in place, the foundations will remain stable, even in the most difficult of circumstances.
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