Build on a strong foundation
The devotions for this week are taken from LCA International Mission’s 2024 ‘40 Days – a Lent Devotional and Prayer Guide’ and are written by mission partners around the world. This year the devotions have been written by members of our partner churches focusing on the theme ‘40 days with the Storyteller’. LCA International Mission invites you to pray for God’s global mission and churches beyond our borders. You can download an electronic copy of the ‘40 Days’ guide at the LCA International Mission website or request a printed copy by emailing lcaim@lca.org.au or phoning 08 8267 7317.
by Rovasoa Harivony Razafindrabe
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Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock (Luke 6:47,48a).
Read Luke 6:47–49
In this parable, Jesus uses something that is very important in a human’s life – a house and the way to build it. A house means independence, safety from dangers, readiness to face life …
In this text, Jesus compares building a physical house to a spiritual house. From John 14:3, we know that Jesus has already built a place for us believers and wherever he is, we will be with him. The house he is talking about in this text is our spiritual life. Let us look to how a wise person builds a house.
We have three steps to follow here:
- The first step is to come to Jesus Christ. Human beings do not know how to come to Jesus by themselves. It is a calling and a choice put in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. That is why there are missionaries and evangelists who work as a bell, reminding people about God’s calling. This step is the work of evangelism.
- The second step is to hear his words. If there are people talking around us, we can hear them whether we want to or not. We can choose to listen to the conversation or not; we can place importance on it or not. But if we are interested in something and we want to hear it clearly, we have to turn off the other sounds around us and pay attention. There are many people who come to Jesus but are they really interested in his words? Do they place importance on it? Do they know how to listen to his words? This step refers to the edification work.
- The third step is to do. Here, there is a decision to make; it is not a passive action but an active step. It is the step of doing and practising the words. There are many people who make a decision about their life and leave bad habits to adopt a new life. Some even have to leave their family, culture, house, village and even their country to show respect to the words. This step refers to spiritual maturity.
These are the steps to take for a wise person to build his spiritual house, his safe and independent spiritual life. The one who has a strong foundation will resist all obstacles and they will not use God’s word to fit their own ideas and their own convictions but instead be shaped by God’s word and have his forgiveness and love as the foundation for all they do.
Jesus, our true foundation, we pray for the Malagasy Lutheran Church, as they send missionaries into Asia, Europe and North America, bringing the news of true gospel of Jesus, his forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. Help us to build our lives on you, the Living Word, and send us out to share the good news with others. Amen
Rovasoa Harivony Razafindrabe is a doctor and missionary for the Malagasy Lutheran Church, Madagascar.
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