Living Foundation
The recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria with a magnitude of 7.8 on the Richter scale killed more than 50,000 people. Japan’s earthquake in 2011 with magnitude 9.0 killed almost 20,000 people — but all deaths resulted from the following tsunami, not the quake itself. The quake didn’t kill anyone.
Most, if not all, deaths in the Turkey/Syria quake were caused by collapsed buildings. While in Japan, no buildings collapsed during the quake. So what’s the difference? The foundation.
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” — Matthew 7:24-27
Buildings in Turkey were built on rock and solid ground — but when the ground shook, the foundation was stationary and dead, so the shake absorbed into the building itself and caused major damage and casualties.
In Japan, when the quake struck, the shaking was primarily absorbed by the foundation. Building foundations in Japan are not just strong but also agile — they can move in multiple directions, contain the building’s movement, and create less structural stress.
Jesus as our life foundation doesn’t just stay and watch as the ground shakes or storms come in our lives. He said: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” — John 16:33
Jesus’ cross proves He absorbed the biggest disaster in our lives — separation from our Creator. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” — Romans 6:23. Through the cross, Jesus absorbed God’s wrath and received the death penalty so we could live and call God our Father.
In this life we’re all building something. First check whether you’re building on a strong but dead foundation — or a strong, alive and active foundation that absorbs all the world throws at you.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose… What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?… For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” — Romans 8:28-39