The Remodeling Project

Anyone who has ever taken on a remodeling project knows that there is much prep work to be done in order to ensure a final product that is functional as well as aesthetic.

Awhile back I took on a project involving retiling a bathroom floor. I had to remove the plumbing fixtures and a water filled radiator to begin with. Next came the removal of the old flooring and creation of a new subfloor in order to provide a level surface on which to lay the new tile. This required measuring, cutting, and mortaring to the floor below and then securing it with stainless steel screws to prevent possible future corrosion. Finally, after all of this prep work, I was ready to begin actually laying the new tiles. Now that the project is finished, we have a safe, sturdy, floor to walk on that is also pleasing to look at.

In the same way our lives in Christ require a sturdy foundation upon which to tread. One of the key ingredients in this process is study of the His Word. There are many ways to approach this. But the ones involving shortcuts and minimal prep time are generally not able to provide the sturdy foundation necessary for a lifetime of tread and wear. A vigorous study of the Bible takes time and effort. However, it is well worth it in exchange for a foundation of truth upon which one can tread for a lifetime.

Those who seek speedier and more entertaining forms of Bible study may wind up with an attractive looking product, and the process will certainly take far less time. But without a firm foundation underlying all, eventually what appears to be a stable surface will begin to shift. Small cracks will begin to appear. As one walks on this “truth” without a strong subfloor, it becomes evident that it is insufficient to support the weight of all of life’s great issues and concerns.

When it comes to study of the Word, skip the shortcuts and the gimmicks. Take the road less traveled. Build a firm foundation. Find a teacher or a class dedicated to a methodical approach. This way you will not have to spend time filling in the cracks because of flaws that were not evident at the time. The quick fix society in which we live runs counter to this approach, but the distinction here is important. If we cannot sacrifice the time necessary to prepare our hearts and minds to receive God’s eternal truths as revealed in His word, can we then sit back and lament the “crackpot theology” that seems to have taken over to a large degree our churches and our nation? The answer seems fairly clear…….