Devotionals for the Heart: Why we need to build a strong foundation

A Strong Foundation Takes Work
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.”—1 Corinthians 3:11 (NIV)

Have you ever read the Parable of the Sower in the Bible and thought in that quiet, uncomfortable corner of your heart—I’m probably not very good soil?

I certainly have. And on my own, perhaps that’s true. I’m probably not good soil. Thank God I have a Lord and Savior (Jesus Christ) who irons out my messy edges and makes me right with Him. It’s on my mind this week because I’ve started going back to the gym. Fitness is important to me, but I’ve gotten off track with weightlifting these last several years. I’m not in my twenties anymore, but I want to have good muscles and not feel weak and out of shape physically. I want to be strong.

Still, in spite of this want, it’s hard to get up at six o’clock in the morning to head to the gym before work, especially when I’m exhausted and sore from the previous day’s workout. It’s hard to push myself to keep doing the hard things, to keep pressing on. This morning, I forced myself out of bed with great reluctance. What finally propelled me was the knowledge: Muscles take work, and I have to put in the work if I want to see results. Muscles don’t just happen on their own.

Truthfully, if you think about it, little really happens on its own. This ties in with my faith journey, too. Even though I did nothing to earn my salvation other than repent and believe with all my heart (as we know salvation is a gift from God, not something that can be earned), it still took work to get to where I am spiritually.

While the Holy Spirit gives me discernment and understanding, wisdom I couldn’t possibly develop on my own, a lot of where I am spiritually is because I chose to make Jesus Christ the Lord of my life. I chose to read the Bible daily and tuck His words deep into my soul. I chose to get up and go to church, to soak in the sermons, sing the songs, and worship with other believers. I chose to turn to God in prayer and not lean on my own understanding.

Just like my biceps and quadriceps need consistent daily and concentrated toning to reach their full potential, my soul needs consistent daily, concentrated care to be in full alignment with the Lord. I can’t just expect to be completely right with God without putting in any effort on my part. I have to do the work to craft a strong foundation. God does the saving, but I have a role to play as well.

This circles back to the Parable of the Sower. In Matthew 13:3-23, Jesus tells us how a farmer scattered his seed. Some of the seed fell on the path, some fell on rocky soil, and some fell into soil filled with thorns. No crop came out of any of these. But other seed fell into good soil and was able to grow and thrive and multiply.

That seed is God’s Word. We don’t want the soil of our lives to be shallow, rocky, or thorny but rather good soil, the kind that produces from the seed a bountiful crop for the kingdom.

On my own, the soil of my life can be shallow or thorny. Without proper attention and intentionality, the soil of my life might not be good soil. But with the work I do spiritually, I’m striving to remove the thorns and the rocks from my soil, so that God’s Word is able to grow and thrive and multiply not only in my life, but in the world around me. I do this because I love God. But I know the truth: I love because God first loved me (1 John 4:19).

In Philippians 3:12-14, the Apostle Paul wrote that he keeps pressing on in faith, keeping his mind set on Heaven. That is our task as well. Do what you can, every day, to cultivate good soil in your life. And remember: A strong foundation takes work, but we can do it.

Song of Reflection #1: “Firm Foundation (He Won’t)” by Maverick City. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Press On” by Selah. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian novelist, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach. She is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism. 

Her Christian contemporary novel, The Memory Garden, released this Spring 2025. Book two in the series releases this Fall 2025. Learn more about Jessica’s writing ministry and read her faith blog at http://jessicabrodie.com. She has a YouTube devotional, and you can also connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, and more. She’s also produced a free eBook, A God-Centered Life: 10 Faith-Based Practices When You’re Feeling Anxious, Grumpy, or Stressed.

Devotionals for the Heart: God is our Eternal Rock and True Foundation

Rocks, Stones, Pebbles and the God who never changes!
A devotional by Glynis Becker

“No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.” –1 Samuel 2:2 (NLT)

Have you ever dug in the dirt to create a garden or to build a structure?

Where I live the soil is full of rocks. Whenever you want to dig in the ground, you are guaranteed to find rocks of all sizes—from gravel-sized pebbles to enormous boulders.

The fascinating thing to me is that often I dig out the soil, remove the rocks to plant the flowers or bushes, then place other rocks back around whatever it was I had planted either for decoration, for drainage, or to distinguish the garden from the lawn. The rocks that are a nuisance in one spot might be necessary somewhere else. The only difference is the purpose of the rock.

God created the world and it is full of stones and rocks. They are visual and plentiful and maybe that’s why they show up so often in scripture. Many times, especially in the Psalms, God is referred to as a rock of safety or refuge (Psalm 46:1). He is the rock of our salvation (Psalm 95:1). It’s easy to imagine that when an army is being pursued, a group of large stones make a useful place of safety, a place to regroup and rest. And if the stones are on a mountain or a high place, they are a vantage point to watch for danger.

Stones were used to build memorials and altars, places of remembrance and worship. The Lord had Joshua and the people pick up stones from the middle of the Jordan River where they had crossed into the Promised Land, then they used those stones to build a memorial (Joshua 4:9). The stones would serve as a reminder of the safety He provided as they took possession of the land.

The Lord gave Moses the Ten Commandments, carved into stone by God’s own hand (Exodus 31:18). Because of a rock’s hardness and nature, once a rock has been altered, it will never be the same as it was before. One of those commandments was not to create idols of stone or wood or metal to worship. The Israelites—and believers today—are to worship only the Creator, never the creation or anything we’ve made.

Rocks are foundations, steady and unchanging, the perfect place to build a house. Jesus reminded all of us that when we build our houses on unstable ground, there is a chance they will not stand the storm (Matthew 7:26-27). He wants us to build our dwelling places—our lives—on Him and the truth only He can give.

The most well-known of all the stones in the Bible might be the one that was rolled away from Jesus’s tomb (Luke 24:2). The stone was large, heavy, and a perfect symbol of all the obstacles that were between us and God before His death and resurrection. Through that act, Jesus became the cornerstone and foundation of the spiritual temple God is building on the earth—the Church, which includes each of us as living stones. We are to share in the building of His kingdom here, until He returns. And then, when the new heavens and new earth are created, the Holy City will shine in brilliance with gold and gemstones (Revelation 21:11). Just imagine how beautiful those rocks will be!

So next time you kick a rock out of your path, pick a pebble out of your shoe or drive down a gravel road, remember God’s faithfulness and salvation. God loves you and He doesn’t want you to forget it!

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, be my Rock today. Remind me that You are a sure foundation in a world that shifts and changes. Give me opportunities to share Your love and truth with those around me, to help them know the safety and peace that only You can give. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Upon This Rock” by Allison Durham Speer. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Glynis Becker writes devotions and inspirational fiction, hoping someday to have a published novel on her resume.

She has co-written several screenplays, including the film Sinking Sand, available on DVD and digital streaming.

Glynis, whose childhood was spent all over the country as an Air Force brat, has called South Dakota home for many years, along with her husband and two college-age children.

When she’s not writing or reading, she is watching more television than she should and crocheting. 

~*~
Connect with Glynis:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckerglynis/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GlynisBecker7

Words of Faith: Natalie's story on trust

Faith, Hope, and Love
A Words of Faith story written by Natalie Monk

One definition of faith is trust. In relationships, trust is as important as love.

I was reminded of this yesterday when an older man shared how he met and married his wife. His father-in-law-to-be wasn’t too keen on the match but, seeing his daughter had made her choice, decided to have a talk with the young man.

The girl’s father said, “Son, there’s one question I need you to answer before you can marry my girl.”

“What’s that?” the suitor asked.

The dad leaned forward. “You trust her?”

The fellow balked, “I-I love her.”

“That’s not what I asked. You can love without trust, but that will make for a miserable marriage if you’re always wondering about her faithfulness.”

Finally the young man answered, “Yes, I trust her.”

“Can she trust you?” the father asked.

The young man hesitated, since he was well known as a carouser and all around mischief-maker.

The father-in-law-to-be continued, “I don’t need to know where my wife is, who she’s with, and what she’s doing all hours of the day. I don’t worry about that…because I know where she’s not. I know who she’s not with. I know what she’s not doing. I trust her. That’s something that’s gotta be earned, son. I know my daughter loves you. But if she can’t trust you, she’ll have a miserable life. I don’t want that for her.”

Of course, things eventually worked out and the lovebirds married. Decades later, they’re now enjoying their children and grandchildren.

But the story stuck in my head, namely the part about love and trust.

We love God…but do we really trust Him? Does He influence every decision in our lives, big and small, especially during the hard seasons of waiting or facing the unknown?

Last year I had a fairly steady income teaching piano, a set schedule, and familiar routine.

I was comfortable.

Then my dad resigned the church he’d pastored since I was a young teenager. Having bathed the whole situation in prayer during the previous year, my dad stepped out on faith, sure of God’s direction, but that’s about it.

How did this affect me? We have a family singing group, and as I’m still living at home, we’ve always traveled with my dad and sung where he preached.

Dad’s phone began to ring, and pastors we knew scheduled him to preach revival meetings at their churches across the country.

As our schedule got busier, I felt God leading me to cancel my piano lessons. That’s where love and trust once again met at a crossroads for me. Would I venture out on faith like Dad or stick with the familiar? Tell my family (and God), “Sorry, I can’t give this up right now, you’ll have to manage without me”? What would people think of me, traveling with my parents, 27 years old and still unmarried, with no other “real” occupation except the hope of publishing a novel. There are loads of pressure in a choice like that.

Then came the game-changer. Nothing new. In fact, it was more an accumulation of “old” things. Memories of times God had seen my family through when there seemed to be no solution. God has never let me down. He’s earned my trust through years of faithfulness. Not because He has to, but because that’s who He is.

I must smile as I admit He’d been working me around to His point of view for some time, I just hadn’t seen it.

When God wants you to step out in faith, but you don’t want to leave what’s familiar and comfortable, God can make “comfortable” become uncomfortable, so much that stepping away from it is now a relief. Then we discover the joy of God’s presence (Psalm 16:11), and the blessings which follow our obedience far outweigh the “comfortable” bondage we didn’t realize we were in.

By the way, He’s provided every need since I said “yes” to Him.

The old man’s father-in-law was right. Without trust, love can be a miserable thing, but where trust has been earned, as God has earned surely earned ours, you have a strong foundation providing hope for the future.

~*~
Author bio:

Natalie Monk writes historical romance full of laughter, love, and redemption. 

A member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, Natalie is represented by the Steve Laube Agency and is currently plotting her third novel. 

She is a home school graduate, gospel singer, portrait photographer, devotional speaker and former post-hole digger. 

She loves sweet tea, book talk, porch swings, and watching musicals and action movies with her family. 

~*~
Connect with Natalie:
Website - http://www.nataliemonk.com
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/NatalieMonkAuthor
Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/NatalieDMonk
Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/nataliedmonk