Rubble was everywhere. Over a decade of life in a local church was lost in a conflict. Deep roots severed. Old friendships went up in flames. The explosion sent shock waves through home after home. Shrapnel left me with a limp. And that’s not the worst of it.
Anxiety and depression took the spare bedroom. And they were terrible guests—awful in every way you can imagine. They were annoying when I needed peace, quiet, and rest. They were crippling when I wanted to do something—anything. They started making themselves at home, spilling out of the guest room and redecorating the house according to their style and vibe. It’s darker than you realize. Funhouse mirrors are a favorite accent. They paint the walls a dark shade of contorted reality. And while they don’t know plumbing or electrical, it doesn’t stop them from tinkering. Thankfully, they couldn’t harm the foundation of the house.
The foundation stands.
People see my nearly smooth scars now and ask, “Why didn’t you deconstruct? What kept you from leaving Christianity? And why, after everything you’ve been through, do you still serve the church?” Serious questions deserve sincere consideration.
The answer is as clear and serious as the noonday sun: because Jesus is real.
The incarnate Son of God, Jesus Christ, is our foundation. Christmas is no myth. It’s not a cute story. The validity of Christianity is not based on our experiences; it’s based on him and his Word.
The eternal Son of God really did come to earth from another realm to save us. He was actually placed in Mary’s womb by the power of the Holy Spirit to be our redeemer. Fully God and fully man, Jesus was born in Bethlehem. He came to die for our sins (Gal. 3:13), to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), and to rise for our right standing before God (Rom. 4:25). And he really is building his church with himself as the foundation (Eph. 2:20). It’s all true. I must follow him.
The foundation—the cornerstone—is dependable. You can trust him. Isaiah tells us that this is “a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will be unshakable” (28:16, CSB). Jesus is acquainted with our griefs (53:3). He knows heartache and suffering more than anyone. The stone went through a stress test, and he passed.
When your house is built on Christ and his Word, you are unshakable (Matt. 7:24–25). The storms will come. You will sway in the wind, and you will be beaten by the rain. A new roof, walls, and flooring may be needed—but the foundation holds. You are held fast in him. As the old hymn tells us, “When all around my soul gives way, he then is all my hope and stay.” Christmas is the story of the delivery and installation of your cornerstone, your hope and stay.
As I sat in the rubble, new friends helped me realize where I was sitting. Christ was always holding me up. Rest and rejoice in him, your firm foundation.
J.A. Medders (PhD) is the director of theology and content for Send Network and the general editor for New Churches. He also writes regularly at SpiritualTheology.net and hosts the Home Row podcast for writers.
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