THE ANCHOR OF TRUST
On June 24th, 2021, the Surfside Condominium at Miami collapsed causing the deaths of 98 people. The investigators found that the reason for the unexpected collapse was the improperly constructed condominium concrete columns and the pool deck that did not meet building codes.
The foundation determines the structural integrity of a building as well as that of a life. What is the foundation that can weather the storms of life? Jeremiah leaves us in no doubt, quoting what God says.
“Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:5-8)
Cursed and condemned to fail is the person who decides to trust in human effort, treasures, and power. It is the natural inclination of man and the trend of the world to do so, but such a life ends up being one that is natural, prone to decay and missing out on the opportunities that life throws at you. It is like bobbing up and down on inflatable platform and trying to catch a ball that is thrown your way. The lack of a stable foundation means you miss the catch more often than not.
In contrast, a person who decides to trust in the invisible God and make His will the basis for his decisions does what is not instinctive. He appears foolish for giving away what appears to be valuable in the sight of the world and holds on to faithfulness of God. Yet, when the world has written him off in derision, he rises like a phoenix to scale the heights of the miraculous and accomplishes stuff that dreams are made of.
Take care of the anchor and the rest will follow suit.
