Thursday, March 13: Greg Murray

1 Corinthians 3:10-15. Using the gift that God gave me, I did the work of an expert builder and laid the foundation, and someone else is building on it. But each of you must be careful how you build. For God has already placed Jesus Christ as the one and only foundation, and no other foundation can be laid. Some will use gold or silver or precious stones in building on the foundation; others will use wood or grass or straw. And the quality of each person’s work will be seen when the Day of Christ exposes it. For on that Day fire will reveal everyone’s work; the fire will test it and show its real quality. If what was built on the foundation survives the fire, the builder will receive a reward. But if your work is burnt up, then you will lose it; but you yourself will be saved, as if you had escaped through the fire.

As a builder, I am particularly struck by these verses, in which Paul tells us that he did the work of a master builder in laying the foundation of faith in Jesus Christ for the people of Corinth. He goes on to tell us that how we build on the foundation – how we live out their faith in Jesus – will be tested with fire. I know that my “faith foundation” is tested with “fire” in both the little annoyances of daily life, as well as in those times of great sorrow and hurt that we each experience as we journey through life. 

The quality of the foundation of any building and the connection of the structure to the foundation determines the longevity, safety and security of any building. When we began construction on the Ebsworth Life Center we ran into soil that did not provide good bearing for the foundation. We had to do more excavation and widen our footings to create a solid, stable foundation. For me there are definitely times in my life when I need to “shore up the footing” to truly open my heart and mind to Christ’s loving touch and faithful presence – the foundation of my life.

Likewise, the connection between the foundation and the framing of the Ebsworth Life Center has been made strong and sure through the thoughtful planning, remarkable effort and amazing craftsmanship of our architects, engineers and builders. They along with you, through your planning, vision and sacrificial giving, have helped to make this a community where we are all together building a wonderful structure, both physically and spiritually, to share Christ’s love with one another and our community.

Being involved in the construction of the Ebsworth Life Center has been an amazing faith journey for me and it has been a chance to fully listen to and respond to God’s call. It has also given me a chance to experience, again and again, God’s love and faithfulness in this place and in each of you. Blessings.

— Greg Murray