I Know How I Got Here — Morning Devotions

By Chris WittsSaturday 25 Jul 2020Morning Devotions with Chris WittsDevotionsReading Time: 4 minutes

I am reminded today of a modern-day parable created by Dr Fred Craddock, a well-respected minister and teacher. He spoke about his sister who takes in retired racing greyhound dogs, because she can’t stand to think of them being put to sleep, after their racing days are over.

She had one of those big greyhound dogs in her home in Arizona when Fred was there one day. The big old spotted greyhound was lying there in the den. One of the children, just a toddler, was pulling on the tail, and a little older kid had his head on that old dog’s stomach, using it for a pillow. The dog just seemed happy and content. So Fred began this imaginary conversation with the dog:

• Uh, are you still racing any?
• No, no, no I don’t race anymore.
• Don’t you miss the glitter and excitement of the racetrack?
• No, no.
• Well, what happened? Are you too old?
• No, no, I still had some race in me.
• Well, why didn’t you win?
• I won over a million dollars for my owner.
• Then what was it, bad treatment?
• Oh no, they treated me like royalty when I was racing.
• Then what? Did you get crippled?
• No, no, no.
• Then what?
• I quit.
• You quit?
• Yea, that’s what I said. I quit.
• Well, why did you quit?
• I discovered that what I was chasing wasn’t really a rabbit. And I quit. (looking up at Fred) All that running, running, running and what I was chasing wasn’t even real.

That rather peculiar story reminded me that things that we need in life need to be real, like a foundation in life.

A Foundation In Life

Back in 1983, an earthquake measuring 8.2 on the Richter Scale hit California. Several houses were shaken off of their foundation by as much as six or seven inches, causing the buildings to collapse. But houses that were bolted to their foundation withstood the quake. The houses that were not bolted may have been perfectly good houses, but they could not stand up to the earthquake. The houses that were bolted to their foundation became one with their foundation, and were able to stand.

Jesus once actually talked about the importance of building on a firm foundation. He was talking about how you and I need to build our lives on the firm foundation of his teaching:

Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse, because it is built on rock. But anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will fall with a mighty crash. (Matthew 7:24-27 – NLT)

That’s the way life is when built on sand. The things that we are so often chasing, the things the world values are fleeting and temporary. They provide momentary pleasure, short-term benefit, and temporary security. Financial security, physical pleasure, and control of destiny aren’t really real. We chase them around like dogs chasing mechanical rabbits, only to find out at the end of life they were fake. We miss the mark by following the world’s standards rather than following Jesus’ standards. Jesus said, “In the end, that kind of life will come crashing down, and great will be the crash.”

A Stable and Firm Foundation

There was an interview one day with singer and actress Bette Midler where she was talking about fame, and how fleeting it can be. But she wasn’t particularly worried about it. And then she said something quite remarkable: “If I lost it all tomorrow, I would be OK, because I know how I got here”.

She was probably referring to her hard work and dedication as an actor, but it made me start thinking over what she said. If I lost all my fame tomorrow, it would be OK, because I know how I got here.

What might happen to you if you lost something very precious, the foundation of your life? Would you cope? Many people have faced an unexpected crisis and their world falls apart. Life can be great one day, and the next horrible.

I guess what I’m talking about is this: Do you have a stable and firm foundation for life? It’s better to know Jesus who said he was the way, the truth and the life. You and I need to base our lives not only on the teachings of Jesus but in a relationship with him as well. We need to establish our very identity in who he is and what he has done for us. Thanks to Jesus, we know how we got here.