September Focus

Foundations

The bell tower for the Cathedral in Pisa, Italy may be the world's best-known failed construction project. Like many major building programs of the Middle Ages, the "leaning tower of Pisa," took 200 years to complete. Construction began in 1173, but the masons did not set the final block until 1370.

The tower experienced two interruptions in construction, the first from 1178 until 1272, and then again from 1278 until 1360. Without these disruptions the tower would have collapsed. The sheer strength of the soil was inadequate to support its weight. The delay allowed the soil beneath the tower to compact, thus providing greater support.

The builders of the tower did not understand soil mechanics. Dumb luck explains why the "Leaning Tower of Pisa" leans, but does not fall down. Civil engineers today understand they must design foundations appropriate to the ground upon which a structure will stand. They study the soil and the ground water to determine what type of foundation will endure.

As time passed later generations came to believe the builders of the bell tower designed the structure with its tilt in mind.

The "good foundation" has been a metaphor for a necessary part of the "good life" for thousands of years, probably for as long as people have been building towers.

In the 8th century B.C., the Hebrew prophet Amos used a metaphor that anticipated the leaning tower of Pisa to describe the moral quality of Israel.

Behold, the Lord stood on a wall made with a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand. And the LORD said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said: Behold, I am setting a plumb line In the midst of my people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore.

When a tower stands straight and true, gravity stabilizes its structure. But leaning, gravity pulls a tower down. Amos' point: If Israel were a tower, it threatens collapse. By setting a plumb line in the midst of Israel, God helps Israel recognize its peril.

God laid a good foundation for human life to flourish in the covenant of Mt. Sinai. There the people promised to "hearken to God's voice" and "keep" God's covenant. This promise forms the foundation of a new relationship with God. At the same time it lays a firm foundation for a new kind of community.

The basis of any relationship is the willingness to hear, understand, and respond with an open heart to one's covenant partner. When your covenant partner is the God of creation "hearkening" and "covenant keeping" lay a foundation upon which one may build a life that endures.

The book of Deuteronomy retells the story of this covenant-making experience from the perspective of a nation living in prosperity. Deuteronomy recalls Israel to remember its foundations in the covenant God made with them. Like Amos, this prophet knows that Israel has begun to tilt.

You can hear the anxious appeal to parents not to neglect laying a good foundation in faith for their children:

"And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up."

Through the month of September we will be inspecting the foundation of our life. There is nothing glamorous about soil mechanics. The thrill is in the height of the tower, not the depth of its foundations. But without a good foundation, the tower will not stand.

Remember Jesus parable of the house built upon the rock.

Whoever hears these words of mine, and does them, is like a wise man who built his house on the rock: the rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But whoever hears these words of mine, and does not do them, is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: the rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.

What is the foundation upon which your life is built? It has begun to rain. There is still time to restore that foundation in the covenant before the storm winds really begin to blow.

Monthly Focus Archive

2006:

Easter Focus: New Covenant
Lenten Focus: A Covenantal Response to Poverty
February Focus: Moving Forward

2005:

December Focus: Longing
November Focus: The Gift of Years
October Focus: Stewardship
September Focus: Foundations
Summer Focus: The Book of Acts
Easter Focus: Tapestry
Lenten Focus: Rule of Life
January Focus: The Next Wave

2004:

December Focus: Surprising Grace
November Focus: Free Indeed
October Focus: Money Madness
September Focus: The Outrageous Promise
Summer Focus: Into the Fullness
June Focus: Thick Faith
Easter Focus: All Things New
Lent Focus: A Hungry World
February Focus: Commitment
January Focus: Unity

2003:

December Focus: Hope
November Focus: Worship
October Focus: Stewardship
September Focus: Seasons of Faith
Summer Focus: The Gospel of John
May Focus: Faith
April Focus: Resurrection
March Focus: Truth
February Focus: Covenant Groups
January Focus: Sabbath

2002:

December Focus: Shut Up and Sing
November Focus: Spiritual Gifts
October Focus: Stewardship
September Focus: Intentional Faith