It could be a foundation issue (1 Corinthians 3:11) if our life is leaning and we fear it might fall.

SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 3:11 (TM)– larger reading: 3:10-17

Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ.

STORY:

The Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy is going to fall. Scientists travel yearly to measure the building's slow descent. They report that the 179-foot tower moves about one-twentieth of an inch a year, and is now 17 feet out of plumb. They further estimate that by the year 2007 the 810-year old tower will have leaned too far and will collapse onto the nearby ristorante, where scientists now gather to discuss their findings. Quite significantly, the word "pisa" means "marshy land," which gives some clue as to why the tower began to lean even before it was completed. Also--its foundation is only 10 feet deep!

OBSERVATION:

Even though the year is 2013 – six years after the predicted time that the great tower would have fallen and it still is standing – doesn’t ruin the power of the story to illustrate the point that foundations matter. It is just a matter of time before the prediction will become a reality. Engineers have work diligently to stabilize this bell tower for the nearby Cathedral. The bells have been removed. Cables have been added and anchored. Counter-weights have been added to the stronger side. All of this has bought the tower 200 more years of life.

The reality is that “marshy land” and a foundation not deep enough has created the reality that imperfect ingenuity brings about a huge problem. And so it is in our lives. Without Christ life comes apart. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow, but eventually. No matter what we do to shore up our life, it still leans gradually towards the point of no return.

As the engineers continue to apply their skills to keep the Leaning Tower of Pisa from falling they will probably lose the battle to keep it standing. Foundations that are shallow – not deep enough to carry the weight of the construction – or laid on unstable ground will bring about ruin.

We can work our entire life to keep ourselves “standing” emotionally, psychologically, physically and spiritually, but without the foundation of Christ we fool ourselves. There will come a time that we are going to be confronted with something that will overpower our best efforts and our “house” will fall. Wouldn’t it simply be easier to turn to Christ now – the one who lays the perfect foundation for us and our life – and give us the peace of mind knowing that nothing in this old world can or will destroy us, causing us to fall?

PRAYER:

For the perfect foundation of Jesus Christ we give you thanks. And when we begin to “lean” bring us back to that perfect foundation because we really do not wish for our life to be destroyed … we really don’t.