by Desiree Bustamante

Heeding the warning signs of our soul’s disrepair.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

Lots of questions entered my mind when I saw this house. Obviously something happened to the structure. Was it just old and neglected? Did someone try to fix it, but didn’t have the right tools? Did they run out of materials? Did they not know where to begin because the project seemed overwhelming? Someone seemed to know that it wasn’t safe, otherwise they wouldn’t have spray painted the message on it. Did they just board it up, put a warning sign there, and walk away? I may never find out, but I do know that this house won’t be a livable home again until somebody fixes it.

“Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted.”
Psalm 127:1 New Living Translation

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.”
Matthew 7:24 New Living Translation 

In life we often allow our souls to crumble around the edges without realizing it’s even happening. We don’t spend enough time in God’s Word, or in prayer, to create a firm foundation in Him, and we start disintegrating with the weight of each day. When bad habits, or poor practices, overtake us, we often try to fix it ourselves under our own power. When that fails we might just send up a quick prayer during a crisis and hope that takes care of the situation. However, we can’t fix anything under our own power. God is the true healer, and when we trust Him to mend the brokenness of our foundation, and shore up the walls of our souls, true healing occurs. Our souls must be immersed in His word so we can stand firm on His foundation. A foundation strong enough to withstand the spiritual battles, and the courage we need to daily face this evil-ridden world.  Otherwise we will just decay and fall into disrepair like this house.

“But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.”
Hebrews 3:6 New Living Translation

Don’t shore up your own spiritual house with cheap plywood and a spray-painted warning. Use the tools of God’s word and prayer, giving everything to him. Please don’t wait for that time when life begins falling apart. He is the Master Builder and longs to maintain a loving, active relationship, with you. Build on that promise!

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado