God is a Foundation Builder

God builds solid foundations. Let me show you what I mean...

“Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” - Genesis 11:4

Humanity builds tall.

The tower of Babel was built tall. They were reaching for the glory of heaven while rejecting the name of God. Trying to access the heavens through their own means and power. That tower fell and the nations were scattered because they were building on the weak foundation of human vanity.

God builds wide.

He is taking the time to build a wide, solid foundation for a kingdom that will not fall. From the time the earth was created, He’s been building out His foundation.

Think about the story of creation. He started simple, creating the foundation for life to flourish. Beginning with light and dark, sky and dry ground, He spread out His canvas before filling it with life.

The Nation of Israel grew wide to make the glory of the Lord known to the nations around them.

“Look up at the sky and count the stars - if indeed you can count them. So shall your offspring be.” - Genesis 15:5

“But the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them.” - Exodus 1:7

When Jesus entered the scene, He told them to go out - east and west to spread the gospel, preparing a solid foundation for His triumphant return.

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” - Matthew 28:19

Foundations are low. To focus on building a foundation, means to spend some time down low before you can begin building up.

When God bends low to build His foundation, He not only builds wide and vast, but He lays each stone with a deep intentionality and intimacy.

God bent low when He created humanity from the dust.

“Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” - Genesis 2:7

To make something out of dust, God had to bend down. He had to bend down to breathe life into Adam’s lungs. To breathe life into His creation was an intimate moment. God takes care to breathe life into every detail of the kingdom He is building.

Jesus went low when He stepped down from His heavenly throne to walk among His people.

“[Jesus], being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” - Philippians 2:6-7

He bent down to write on the ground instead of persecuting the adulterous woman.

“But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.” - John 8:6-8

He bent down to make the mud to heal the blind man’s eyes.

“After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.” - John 9:6-7

He bent down to wash his disciple’s feet.

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.” - John 13:14

Notice in each of these examples, after God bends down to build a foundation, He always follows with a sending out. God commanded Adam to be fruitful and multiply. Jesus stepped down from heaven and became man then sent out his followers to share the Good News. He told the woman to go and sin no more. He told the blind man to go wash in a pool whose name literally means “sent.” He washed the disciples’ feet and sent them out to do the same.

Jesus bent low because He was and is on a mission to build an everlasting Kingdom and He knows that a Kingdom of that magnitude, glory, and power needs a firm foundation.

He teaches about building your house on a firm foundation because He is the Good Father and a good father teaches by example.

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.” - Matthew 7: 24-25

I could share countless other examples throughout the bible, but I challenge you to go look for more ways God bends low to build a wide and firm foundation of His Kingdom with love and patience.

But don’t stop there - ask God to show you what your part is in preparing the way for His Kingdom!