16 Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem,
a firm and tested stone.
It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on.
Whoever believes need never be shaken.
17 I will test you with the measuring line of justice
and the plumb line of righteousness.
Since your refuge is made of lies,
a hailstorm will knock it down.
Since it is made of deception,
a flood will sweep it away.
18 I will cancel the bargain you made to cheat death,
and I will overturn your deal to dodge the grave.
When the terrible enemy sweeps through,
you will be trampled into the ground.
19 Again and again that flood will come,
morning after morning,
day and night,
until you are carried away.”
This message will bring terror to your people.
20 The bed you have made is too short to lie on.
The blankets are too narrow to cover you.
Isaiah 28:16-20
We have all heard the phrase, ‘you’ve made your bed now lay in it,’ this passage of scripture paints a grim picture of being in a bed that is not sufficient. Years ago, as a young mother, from time to time, I would find myself cuddled up with my son in his toddler bed. The bed was way too short even for a person like me who stands a proud 5’ tall. As you can imagine, it wasn’t a comfortable place to be. I could never truly rest peacefully. I found that I could lay in it and be reasonably satisfied as long as nothing disturbed me. The slightest movement of a small foot or a room temperature change would cause me to become unstable. I have found the same to be true when I build my comfort and belief system around something other than Christ himself.
This year, 2020, has disturbed many of the beds we sought to place our comfort. We’ve had to evaluate the stability of our health concerns, finances, ideas of race relations, and openness to other people’s life experiences. For many, when tested, the bed of one or more of these areas is not long enough, and the covering is too narrow. The great news is that we do not have to just lay in the bed we’ve made with God. He has already placed His foundation stone. Jesus, the cornerstone, we can build on safely. His foundation will not be shaken. Halfway through this eventful year, if we find those areas of instability, we have a choice. To settle back into the bed we have made for ourselves, finding comfort in slight warmth we’ve developed from our time spent in that position, or we can make the uncomfortable move to a bed that was loving built for us on a tested and stable foundation.