Foundation
Scripture: Matthew 7:24-27 (Click link for scripture in Bible Gateway)
24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 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 bedrock. 26 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” (Matthew 7:24–27 NLT)
The storm will come. The storms of life will come to you and to me. The storm is not punishment. The storm is not even a test of your faith. (How you behave in the storm may well be a test of your faith!) The storm is part of life. The wise person is one who heard the teachings of Jesus and acted on them, made necessary changes, did the hard work of obedience. This obedience laid the foundation for life. So the storm comes, the wind blows, the rain falls, the river rises.
When the storm has passed, the wise person may find some debris on the porch, a few shingles ripped from the roof. The wise person may have to replace a couple of shutters on the side of the house that took the force of the storm, but the house is standing, it’s storm-tested, and it’s safe! The foundation held in the storm!
The difference (same storm, same circumstances): The foolish person’s house is gone! It completely collapsed! When the force of the wind and rain and the torrent of water from the flooding river pounded the house, it fell. The footings washed away, and the house collapsed with a mighty crash! It was a total loss!
Let’s be clear on this: the foolish person heard exactly the same thing as the wise person. The foolish person heard the teaching of Jesus and didn’t obey, didn’t take action. Either because it seemed too costly to obey, or because it would have been disruptive of previous plans, or for whatever reason or combination of reasons, the foolish person let things slide. The house looked good, but it had no foundation!
It’s not what you know, it’s what you do with what you know.
Prayer:
Father, May my friends and I take Jesus’ words to heart. As we read your word, as we think about how your word rightly applies to the values we build on and the decisions and choices we build with, may we simply obey. May we do the work, may we make the changes and adjustments, may we lay a storm-secure foundation for life. Amen!