Theme: God, the builder
“By faith he (Abraham) lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” (Hebrews 11:9 and 10)
Thought:
A good foundation is important; in fact, it is critical. When we were first looking for a house to buy in Flagstaff, we were told not to buy in a certain area because the foundations might move. Several houses in this area had cracks in their foundations, and in some cases, the cracks extended up into the main outer walls of the houses. Later, when we had a house built, I remember when they dug the trench for the stem wall. The stem wall provides the foundation for the outer walls, which give the house stability. At first, I was a little concerned as there were some large rocks where they were digging the trench for the stem wall. Being too big to dig out, they were left along the bottom of the stem wall trench. The contractor assured me that this would make the house very secure, as the stem wall they would pour would be bolted to these rocks. We have a very strong and secure foundation for our house.
God as the architect and builder gives a whole new dimension to the idea of foundation and His qualification to give the greatest foundation.
In Genesis 1:1 we read, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Throughout the Bible, God is described as a builder using such words as architect (Hebrews 11:10), prepared (Hebrews 11:3), made (same verse), created (Genesis 1:1), and more. The author of Hebrews begins this chapter on faith by drawing our attention to God as the creator who prepares and makes “the worlds.” All of God’s attributes come into play as we look at creation, from His wisdom and power to his creativity and relational attributes. As an overall statement of this aspect of God, we read in Hebrews 3:4, “For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.”
In Luke 6:46-49, Christ compares listening to His words and acting on them to a wise house builder who laid the home’s foundation on a rock.
“Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it, and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”
Our foundation is Christ, and we see the significance of that as we listen to, follow, and act on His words. Let me illustrate how reading God’s word and acting on it might look.
In Ephesians 2:10, after Paul’s foundational comment on our being saved by grace through faith and apart from our works, he reminds us of God’s present work of “building” in each of our lives. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in Him.” In the past, God created us; in the future, He is working in us for good works; and in the present, we are His workmanship.
Paul tells us in Philippians 2:13, “For it is God who is at work in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”
Bringing together both God’s building a city and His “building” work in each of us, Paul reminds us in Philippians 3:20-21, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”
God is working in every believer. In Ephesians 1-3 we see who we are in Christ. In chapters 4-6 we see God’s work in each of us as it is worked out and applied in our lives. So, chapter 4 begins, “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.” In light of who you are in Christ, “work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:12,13)
One way I see this working out in my life is that as I’ve spent time in prayer asking God to help me grow in patience, gentleness, and humility (from Ephesians 4:2), then I read a chapter of God’s word. As I read a chapter in Psalms recently, David challenged me to approach God with a hunger and thirst as in Psalm 34:8.
Reading Ephesians 4:1-2, I am instructed to walk with gentleness and patience. The Holy Spirit impressed on me that I have not been patient and gentle, so I pray that God will help me be sensitive to this as I interact with others that day.
I’m also convicted to come to the word of God with humility, as James exhorts me in James 1:21. As I reflect on these verses and pray about them, I realize how needy I am and that I cannot grow or serve God apart from His help. I ask God for humility.
Later that day or week, I have an opportunity to be humble or show patience and gentleness toward someone. Realizing my need, remembering these verses, and then putting that quality into practice is part of the process of growing in these qualities.
Our growth in faith begins by recognizing God as the creator of all things and then becomes personal as we grow in understanding His transforming work in each of us. Our journey of faith shows us how understanding our foundation in Christ influences all the decisions we make as we “act on God’s word,” and grow more like Christ.
Reflection:
As you reflect on your faith, what is your foundation? How are you building on that foundation? Where have you seen growth? What do you understand differently now from your time in God’s word? How have you seen humility, gentleness, patience, and love increase in your actions this past year? What quality has God impressed on you to give attention to lately?
Not only is Christ my foundation, but He is also the builder, and we are His workmanship.
Read through Ephesians this week, relating who you are in Christ to how to walk worthy of your calling in Christ.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the blessings I have in Christ. Thank you for choosing me and adopting me as yours and for redeeming me through Christ’s blood. Thank you for being my Rock, my sure foundation, to stand firm in You during life’s difficulties. Give me eyes to see the transforming work you are doing in me today.
For further posts on “Let’s Grow in our Faith,” visit https//:stanjohnsonwriting.com
July 22, 2026
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