Ephesians 2.19-22 (4)
Pray Psalm 119.49.
Remember the word to Your servant,
Upon which You have caused me to hope.
Sing Psalm 119.49.
(Wycliff: All for Jesus)
LORD, remember all the good Word You have spoken unto me!
For I ever hope in You, LORD as I serve You joyfully.
Read Ephesians 2.19-22; meditate on the word “foundation”.
What is our foundation? Why is it our foundation?
Preparation
1. What makes up the foundation of the temple Jesus is building?
2. Why is this important to know?
Meditation
Every building needs a sure foundation, one that can be relied on to hold up the walls and ceilings which will be constructed upon it. The same is true with people. Everyone has a foundation for their lives, a set of beliefs, convictions, and disciplines on which the rest of their lives grow and develop. Most people have but very little awareness of their life’s foundation. They have simply laid down a variety of foundation stones, picked up from the culture, their upbringing and friends, and their education. For the most part, these beliefs are unexamined.
What beliefs? That there is no God, or, if there is, He’s relevant only to those who think He is. That everything we are and see began from a single point of mass in space and has evolved to its present state—including you and me—by chance. That material wellbeing is everyone’s highest objective in life. That I am the captain of my own fate. That money and things and friends and good times are the way to happiness. That I deserve to be treated specially by everyone. And so forth.
All such beliefs are a foundation of sand. Only the words of the prophets and apostles of the Lord—the Old and New Testaments—are a reliable and true foundation, for they direct our thoughts, desires, values, and works toward Jesus, making us more like Him and equipping us to proclaim Him to the world. The Word of God is our Foundation for life. The more firmly we take our stand there—by hearing the Word, reading and meditating in it daily, and obeying its teaching—the more Jesus will be formed in us and we will realize more of God’s good and perfect plan for our lives. And the more we will be armed to recognize and fend off the false ideas and beliefs that would replace God’s Word as the foundation of our lives.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
A sure foundation has been laid for us by the prophets and the apostles.
It is what they spent their lives and time accomplishing—the written and lived Word.
And Jesus Christ, our beloved Chief Cornerstone, is the foundation upon which all other foundations are laid.
God created the heavens and the earth and all that is within them, around them, and upon them.
“Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands” (Ps. 102.25).
In the midst of all Job’s suffering and loss, and Job’s desire to find out “why”—God said to him:
“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding?” (Job 38.4)
It was not for Job to understand why he was suffering, but to know that God is always worthy of praise, regardless of life’s circumstances. God was the foundation upon which Job’s life settled; and God is sovereign over all creation—and that was enough for Job to know.
God said to Isaiah, about Jesus: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation…” (Is. 28.16).
And as Paul reiterated: “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid,
which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3.11).
Solomon’s words echo Jesus’ story in Matthew 7.24-27:
“When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more,
but the righteous has an everlasting foundation” (Prov. 10.25).
In order for this foundation to cement itself into our consciousness, we need to be pouring it into our mind and heart daily. Wisdom says, “Blessed is the man who listens to Me, watching daily at My gates, waiting at the posts of My doors. For whoever finds Me finds life, and obtains favor from the LORD…” (Prov. 8.34, 35).
It is time for the people of God to be revived in God’s Word—
God is always worthy of our praise and purpose.
Let us keep the Law and contend with wickedness by doing so (Prov. 28.4).
God is our only foundation for life.
The Church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is His new creation, by water and the Word:
From heaven He came and sought her
To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her,
And for her life He died.
(Samuel J. Stone, 1868)
A truly firm foundation—the only foundation—for the Way, Truth, and Life (Jn. 14.6).
Reflection
1. How is it clear to others that you are standing firmly on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets?
2. How is that faithful and solid foundation proving itself to be true and reliable in your life?
3. What would you say about this foundation to a new believer?
The church is also compared to a building, founded on the doctrine of Christ; delivered by the prophets of the Old Testament, and the apostles of the New. Matthew Henry (1662-1714) Commentary on Ephesians 2.20
Pray Psalm 119.50-56.
Give thanks for God’s Word. Be specific: Remember His promises, His commands, the beauty and wisdom and majesty and consistency and faithfulness of Scripture, and more. Recommit yourself to the Word, to stand firmly on it as your foundation.
Sing Psalm 119.50-56.
(Wycliff: All for Jesus)
This my comfort in affliction, this my comfort in all strife:
that Your Word is my redemption, giving me eternal life!
Though the proud deride and taunt me, I will trust Your faithful Word.
Let Your judgments from of old be all my comfort, holy LORD.
Indignation grips me, Savior, for those who forsake Your Word.
All Your statutes, all Your favor, I will sing with joy, O LORD!
In the night Your Name attends me, and I keep Your holy Word;
let Your precepts all befriend me, as I keep them, glorious LORD.
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest this week: In our ReVision series on “The Kingdom Economy” we are looking at ways the Law of God applies to our lives. This week our Read Moore podcast continues addressing the question raised by our book, What in Heaven Is Jesus Doing on Earth? This week our Crosfigell teaching letter begins a study of the life of Brigit, a contemporary of Brendan. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.
Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
