Listen:
“The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous.” (Proverbs 3:33, NIV)
Reflect:
My husband and I learned a lot about the building process when we built the home that we’re currently living in. Aside from all the planning, the first thing that is done is to dig the hole where the foundation is to be laid. This is exacting work – a proper hole and the concrete work for the foundation must be able to support the house for a lifetime. We learned that our foundation sits on a bed of limestone. Yes, we built our home on solid rock.
Right before the drywall was installed, we gathered bible verses from family and friends. With others’ help, we wrote these verses on the wooden studs. So now our new home would be filled with the Word of God.
It would be great if all that guaranteed that we are declared righteous by God. Or maybe we could check off things on a list or be born in the “right” family, but unfortunately we all know that’s not the case. We also know that we are declared righteous before God by his grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We live out our righteousness by aligning our daily thoughts, words, and actions with our identity in Christ. In other words, we live lives of faith with integrity in the midst of all our imperfections.
Blessing is not a guarantee of health, wealth and comfort – just ask Job. Ultimately, blessing in Proverbs 3:33 means having a life anchored in the unshakeable character of God and welcoming his presence. The roof might still leak, and trials will still come, but the foundation of the home remains completely secure.
Prayer of Response:
Gracious God, lead me in the path of your righteous, give me the strength to follow your wisdom and grant me your peace, especially when the storms come. Amen.
Questions to Ponder:
- Where is my home’s foundation firm?
- How is God calling me to shore up my home’s foundation?
Breath Prayers:
Join us in praying breath prayers each day. We invite you to write your own as well.
Inhale (Breathe in): Lord anchor my home
Exhale (Breathe out): In your righteousness
(Repeat)
—Submitted by: Libby Rutherford
Libby is a longtime member of Lifesprings and is a member of the Executive Team. She’s married to Jay, mom to John and Sarah, grandmother to Malcolm, and has two cats and overdid it with the chicks this year. She has pastored two rural churches for over 9 years and lives in Apple River, IL.
Feature photo by Thanh Nguyen on Unsplash
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Listen to Lifesprings International’s latest podcast:
Kingdom Assignments Part 5
We are very excited to be introducing the people and stories of Lifesprings. This month our PODCAST features Christa and Britt talking about what they have learned from interviewing all of our guests and what listeners can do if they feel like God is calling them to accept their own Kingdom Assignment.