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July 03, 2007 |
Independence Day
"If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." - John 8:31b-32
My wife and I once lived in a home with cracks in its foundation. Every time it rained I got a knot in my stomach because I knew there was a chance we'd get water in the basement. We did everything we could. We had parts of the foundation dug up and sealed. We added outside drains, widened one of the most important drains, and even had a sump pump installed. Still, I worried that it might not be enough.
Jesus said that following his teaching is like building a house on a solid rock. The rains may fall and the winds may blow, but the house will stand strong (Matthew 7:24-25). The basement will not take on water.
Our culture would have us believe we are consumers. According to the head of one of the leading consumer products companies, "The brand defines the consumer. We are what we wear, what we eat, what we drive. Each of us...is a walking compendium of brands." To be a consumer is to live with cracks in our foundation. If we believe that we are what we wear and what we drive, we'll always feel the need for something more.
Fortunately, the Bible does not say that on the sixth day God made "consumers." It says that all who have placed their faith in Christ are "children of God" (John 1:12)--fully loved and completely valued just as we are. The day we begin building our lives on the foundation of God's word is the day we become free to live in the truth that we have enough and we are enough.
Tiptionary 2
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