Skyscrapers are one of the wonders of the world. One skyscraper that I find fascinating is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirate. With a height of over 828 metres and with 163 stories, Burj Khalifa holds the record of the tallest structure and building in the world. It is known for its many features but not for its foundations. Nevertheless, the foundations of Burj Khalifa are the very first and most important part of its construction. The main purpose of a foundation is to hold the structure above it. Without a solid foundation, Burj Khalifa, or any other structure or building will not be reliable nor last a long time because the foundation gives the structure its resilienced and strength.

As true as this is for skyscrapers or any structure or building, so it is for anyone who is in Christ Jesus, for any Christian woman. What constitutes a foundation? For the skyscrapers, the foundation is comprised of lithified rock called bedrock, which is compacted under pressure. The bedrock is covered by loose soil; as a result, it is not visible to the eyes when the building is completed. However, its presence ensures stability of the building despite the presence of the loose topsoil. For the Christian woman, the foundation is comprised of the word of God - believing and living out the word of God (Mathew 7:24 – 27).

From the age of 5, I remember being sickly and a source of worry to my family, being brought from one hospital to the other in search of answers, and hearing my father say that the answers were not satisfactory to him. I also remember, at the age of six, my mum left, to return 24 years later. During this period I held the belief that I was responsible for her leaving and carried that burden for years. As a young child of my pastor cum engineer father, I remember asking God, at the age of 9 years, to die. Not sure if I knew the effect of death but clearly knew that I did not want to live anymore with sickness and the resulting burden on my family. But most importantly, I remember clearly, the day I received my healing from my Saviour Jesus, or should I say, the day I realised I was healed completely.

As a newly converted Christian, at 17 years of age, I listened to a sermon on healing during a Sunday fellowship in my secondary school and was challenged to receive my healing. Following a 7-day fast from food and confessions and belief on the scriptures on healing, I remember feeling no different, but I continued to confess God’s word on healing, and weeks later, realising I had not been sick for a while, and to the glory of God, I am still working in the freedom and healing of God.

That was the turning point in my life, the development of my foundation in God. My experience of believing in the word of God and the actualisation of the word of God through physical healing of my body became the bedrock of my foundation in God. Also, it became the driving force to know more about the God of healing, and to honour and please Him through execution of His word. Also, I have realised that the challenges of life are platforms upon which the word of God is tested, God is tasted and proven to be good (Proverbs 34:8).

These challenges of life are not limited to the ones that arise through the experience of life, as previously described, but include those created to achieve God’s given life purpose. For example, becoming a wife is a challenge because for a Christian woman, it involves marriage – union with a man, in God’s presence. Marriage - cleaving to another to become one flesh (Genesis 2:24; Mathew 10:8), requires love (1 Corinthians 13: 4 – 7) and within that love, wisdom (Proverbs 14:1), submission (Colossians 3:18), self-control, obedience (Titus 2:4), a noble character and productiveness (Proverb 31: 10 – 27), to mention a few. The obedience of the wife to the words of God causes her to develop the aforementioned qualities and she is beautified by them (1 Samuel 16: 7; 1 Peter 3:4).

It was not long after my marriage that I realised some differences between my husband and I. The differences became more challenging as we progressed in marriage. Initially, I thought my husband was the problem, but the word of God revealed that I was also part of the problem. With that, I went back on my knees before the Potter for a remoulding for me and my husband (Isa 64:8). Through prayer, the change began and is still in progress. But for the solid foundation on the word of God, my marriage would not have endured.

Selah!

Mrs. Juliet Popoola

© SELAH SERIES 2022