Foundations

The Shanghai Tower, completed in 2014, represented the latest breakthroughs in skyscraper development. Designed to rise to a height of more than 2,000 feet over this city in eastern China, the tower embodied many innovations that necessitated a careful design and plan. Engineers and architects knew that the Shanghai Tower presented special challenges.

They knew that every building is different, and that the soil must be analyzed carefully to determine how deep the foundation must be dug. The general rule is that no significant structure can be built unless it has a strong foundation, rooted firmly in the ground.

But this tower was being built in an earthquake zone, in an area with “soft, clay-heavy soil.” So at the outset of this project, the official account reports that “engineers drove 980 foundation piles into the ground as deep as 282 feet. Then they poured 2.15 million cubic feet of reinforced concrete to create a 20-foot-thick foundation mat.”

There are clear parallels in the spiritual realm. For strong spiritual foundations are essential for our Christian lives. Jesus warned that those without strong foundations can be shaken amid the storms of life. He described how building a spiritual foundation begins with knowing His words, and by putting them into practice.

There are no shortcuts to this process. We can’t just pray a few prayers or read a few passages. We can be assured that many kinds of storms may come. The way to be prepared is to have a strong foundation. This means digging deep.

Make sure that you are ready. That your foundations are strong. That you are prepared.