WHEN THE FOUNDATIONS ARE BEING DESTROYED, WHAT CAN
THE RIGHTEOUS DO? Psalm 11:3
By Dr. Brett Snowden
he life of faith is a
moment-by-moment trust in God’s presence and ability
to help. When we doubt God’s presence, power and
faithfulness to fulfill His promises in our lives,
then we will doubt that the Gospel is “the power
of God unto salvation” (Romans 1:16), that God’s
“grace is sufficient” (2 Corinthians 12:9),
that “all things work together for good to them
that love God” (Romans 8:28). With the recent
swell of hurricanes, floods and earthquakes which
have resulted in families, homes and even cities
being destroyed and lost, one is challenged to call
upon his/her faith and make some sense of it all.
What questions do these events raise in one’s
spirit? What is God saying? What does this say about
God?
If the foundations be destroyed. . . The word
“foundations” is plural and therefore cannot refer
to God. It probably refers to God’s promises --
which are the “foundations” on which our
faith stands.
In the midst of these fleeting trials and
tribulations, there are three things that believers
in God must do. First, we must possess a Foundation
of Confidence. By “confidence” I mean that simple,
childlike faith and trust we had in Christ when we
first accepted Him as Savior. Matthew Henry says,
“We must trust in the Lord with all our hearts,
believing he is able and wise to do what is best.
Those who know themselves, find their own
understandings a broken reed, which, if they lean
upon, will fail.” We must possess this confidence
because it is indispensable in our walk with Christ,
essential in our prayer life and assures our
successes as believers in God.
Secondly, we must possess a Foundation of
Commitment. Commitment also means “consecration.”
Let me give you a simple definition of Christian
commitment: Christian commitment is unconditional
surrender to Christ. As we come to Christ in faith,
that faith will result in our commitment of
surrender to Him, which in turn, will result in more
faith, which will result in more commitment, and so
on. It is an upward spiral of faith and commitment.
That is what it means to follow Jesus. The call of
Christ is always a call to commitment. It is a call
to trust Him. It is a call to live for Him. It is a
call to follow Him. It is a call to surrender our
lives to Him. There will be no continuing confession
of our faith without that commitment of surrender.
There will be no confident conviction without that
commitment of surrender.
Finally, we must possess a Foundation of Communion.
In prayer. 1 Chronicles 16:11 “Seek the Lord and
his strength, seek his face continually.” In the
Word of God. 2 Tim. 2:15 “Study to shew
thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth
not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of
truth.” n
