Best to build on a firm foundation

Most of us are familiar with images of city skylines. We may even recognize certain buildings and know from sight if we are looking at images of New York, Chicago, San Francisco -- even London or Paris. When you travel to a city with skyscrapers dotting the landscape and walk among the streets it's very easy to be impressed and overwhelmed by the size and scale of these buildings. Often what we do not think of when looking up at the impressive steel and glass structures is the depth at which the building actually goes down in its foundation so it can reach those heights.

To date, the world's tallest building is Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The building measures 2,722 feet from the ground up. The building has more than 160 floors with a hotel, apartments, office space, sky lobbies and several swimming pools including one on the 76th floor. To clean the exterior of the building from the dirt and dessert sand -- even with some of the automated cleaning systems -- takes a crew of 36 people four months.

For this building to reach the heights it does it is secured to 192 concrete "piles" that are close to 5 feet in diameter and are buried at a depth of 164 feet. The deep and strong foundation allows the building to soar to new heights.

This and other beautiful buildings remind us of the Biblical truth that Jesus delivers to us in Matthew 7:24 -- "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock."

The lives, families and businesses we build will only be as strong as the foundation upon which they are built. If we build them on that which is shaky, then when the storms of life come -- and they will come -- we will crumble.

What Jesus presents to all who have ears to hear are not only his teachings but also himself, serving as a firm foundation from which to build everything. He not only provides the place to build but certainty to build.

The foundation you have matters. Build well and reach high.