This "Christ"mas...

Parallels Of The Mirrored Marriage

Part 2

Checking Our Foundation In The Mirror

This next section might appear a little off course. But don't worry, I think you'll begin to see the value as we continue on (A hint: you can substitute the word Christian for carpenter, life or marriage for the words house or project, and the Word of God for plan in the next 2 paragraphs. Try it!).

(First the reflection in the mirror ... (you'll come to understand what this means later))

Most of my adult working life has been spent working as a carpenter. Carpenters follow a plan when building a house. The plan is the representation and graphic "example" of what the house is to look like and how it's to be built. Any deviation from the plan will result in the failure to replicate the project that was intended -.The primary goal of a good carpenter is to be true to the design of the plan while applying the sound structural details, wisdom and methods also found in the plan. This is the basic true goal that a carpenter uses that lead to pleasing success, integrity and soundness in any project.

The architect (Our God) has given us the perfect plan, the only one that works to build our own house. It lays out the required ground work and foundation conditions and it fits the landscape and project boundaries. The model for this project (Christ) is absolutely stunning and incredibly sound in every detail. As carpenters we now have a choice - we replicate the represented perfection ... or cut corners and settle for less satisfying results and possible total failure.

Matthew 7:24-27

"Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 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 rock. 26 But anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will fall with a mighty crash."

Having spent decades of my life in the construction trades I can attest to the fact that any house built on faulty groundwork or foundation is destined to suffer trouble. The end result may appear pleasant and sound to the eye in the beginning, but eventually the symptoms of it's foundational issues will begin to present themselves in a number of ways. Doors and windows begin to stick or cease to function as they were intended. Cracks may begin to appear in the walls and ceilings and floors begin to buckle. The list of potential problems goes on endlessly and if the dysfunction of the foundation is serious enough, it can result in catastrophic failure. Because of it's root failures, the house will never be the completely sound, functional structure that it could have been - unless the root cause of it's problems (the foundation) is corrected.

Sure, we can treat the symptoms of the real problem without fixing it. We can shave the doors to make them close - thereby making them no longer true and square. We can make them functional by making them as misshapen as the openings. We can patch and paint over the cracks and shim the floors to make them more level. But all of these things only cover up the real problem and as long as the root cause of all of these things continues to exist, the potential for these issues and even greater ones to occur goes unresolved. But thank God, He makes provision for our ability to correct what's failing!

(Now the reflected objective ...)

The Groundwork:                       Revelation 4:11 NLT

"You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created everything, and it is for your pleasure that they exist and were created."

We were created and continue to exist now for one purpose - God's pleasure. This is the groundwork of our existence. Accepting this one fact and adjusting the whole perspective of our our lives to it - down to the last detail is absolutely critical. Without it whatever we attempt to build sinks and settles on unstable ground. If the structure of our relationship to our God, our lives or our reflective marriage relationships are laid on any other soil, we've already failed.

The foundation:                                                John 3:16

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." 

Our foundation to be built on that groundwork: Christ and no other. By accepting Christ's sacrifice and following His teaching and example we're guaranteed success in our relationship to our God and in anything we build from there - whether it just be our lives in general or also includes marriage relationships and resulting families. 

As true Christians, followers of Christ, we find ourselves dedicated to our highest purpose - the good pleasure of our God. We were born for the exquisite and supremely high honor to have the opportunity to choose to have an intimate, eternal relationship with the omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God over all that exists!

Per Wikipedia, "A Christian is a person who adheres to , an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament."

In and of itself as a very basic definition, it's not horrific. Of course, a lot more could be said. But as Christians, we do endeavor to follow Christ's examples and teachings. We do believe in the existence of one God (monotheism), Abraham had a role to play in God's plan and yes, it's all about Jesus. The biggest real fault I find with this definition is the term "religion". Perhaps because of my own personal revulsion to accepting a term that is used in reference as though it's merely a belief system that some people have - I contend that it's a living relationship with the one God who created everything including us! All of the worldly reasoning, deceptive definitions and polluting intellect of hell cannot change the truth of what exists before God! It's a marriage of spirits that when lived in truth ... is lived according to His wisdom, grace and mercy. As followers of Christ we have the perfect example to follow by our God's merciful generosity and affection. Without Christ, we have nothing - no relationship to the Father and no hope. Christ has to be our foundation - laid upon the solid groundwork of our single purpose. Without either one of them, everything we build in our lives is subject to catastrophic failure ... everything.