These are a few of our SOAP notes from today’s reading. We encourage you to read and journal on your own first, then join us in conversation about what God revealed to YOU today. Click HERE to go directly to the daily reading if you wish.
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Our Family’s Foundation | Joni Tyner
S~ After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servant through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. “I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.” It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What is important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.
Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builders. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:5-11 (NIV)
O~ The background of this scripture is that Paul brought the Good News to the people of Corinth. Apparently there was some argument about who was their leader and Paul is telling them the purpose is that they would all have faith in Jesus, that this is the foundation to build everything else.
A~ The Bible is God’s love letter to me, Joni. The more I read it, the more personal it becomes. It builds me up and gives me hope. As my application this morning, I decided to substitute words to make this scripture completely personal to me. As a disclaimer, perhaps I’ve inserted or misused a word that someone else might interpret differently—I realize this is on the internet and I’m certainly not a Bible scholar. My goal in journaling this morning was just so share that when we seek Jesus through reading His Word, I believe he responds to give us comfort, joy and hope. Here is goes…
After all, who is Joni or Mark? Yes, they have been serving me all these years. Yes, they did the assignment I gave them, they consistently took their children to church, Sunday School, vacation Bible school, summer camps. They talked about Me in their home, they prayed with and for their kids, they provided a fertile environment for them to grow and thrive.
Although this is good—they have been God’s servants, they need to realize that my work is not finished—these kids are ultimately Mine, and they are going to grow and build their faith in their own unique way—it may be through other believers, and it may be through tough circumstances. Joni and Mark, please remember, You are loved and through my grace to you, this foundation you built is that of an expert builder. No one can give your kids any other foundation than the one they already have—they have the strong foundation of Jesus Christ.
So, I chose to reveal my heart this morning, that I believe God’s truth for me. I don’t always understand it, I sometimes neglect us, but, at the end of the day, I am going to choose to believe that His Word is TRUTH.
Also, I don’t think our foundation building is complete—we still have work to do. We can’t believe for our kids, but, we can continue to fertilize the ground, continue to throw water and sunshine on that foundation. Over the past few months, my husband and I have recommitted to make a renewed effort to do this with our kids. We are “upping” our game by pursuing our kids through family dates, lunch outings, group texts and one on one interactions. The foundation and walls are still standing strong (again, because of God’s grace) and I believe they will be strong as the storms of life come and attempt to weaken the foundation.
P~ Dear Lord, can you please abundantly pour Your grace on me and give me renewed desire to keep showing up on the building of this family’s foundation? I ask for discernment that I don’t get distracted by less important things. I pray that every single conversation that was inspired by Your Spirit would resound in my kids hearts. I trust You for their future. I love You.
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