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
Soon after we first moved to Florida, we kept house-hunting, wondering if we could get more house than the lovely, modest townhome I’d bought over a short weekend visit.
I found a pretty, Florida-style, single family home with a lanai, covered pool, and a nice corner lot in an attractive subdivision. It was a little too cheap, but new to Florida’s idiosyncrasies, we weren’t overly suspicious. We scheduled a viewing. The house was vacant, a little dated, but looked good. Except. Except for the wall-to-wall carpeting throughout, including the kitchen--highly unusual where marble and ceramic tile abound. The realtor was vague.
I did a little sleuthing and learned that there was a giant crack beneath the rug and engineers had detected a sink hole risk right under the foundation. Imagine watching the evening news when, gulp, you find yourself 50 feet under. Parts of the state are built on swampland and sand. A hurricane, heavy rain, or random shift, and a building or bungalow can collapse, get swallowed up, or swept away! It’s happened. A lot.
On the other hand, my humble townhouse is a cinderblock fortress resting on solid ground above the flood zone.
Here Jesus is warning that if we don’t build our lives on a firm foundation of faith and following his word, it’s like building on sand. Sigh. That word, “obedience!” Heavy! Yet, this isn’t oppressive, legalistic, perfectionistic rule following, because Christ is our righteousness by faith, but loving honor for Christ that reflects our faith in action (James 2:26). I think of it in terms of the omniscient guardrails of a perfectly loving papa who knowing our inability to keep the law perfectly, provided Jesus to stand in the gap. That helps.
If we’re building our “house” on fake freedom (Galatians 5:13, 1 Peter 2:16-17) fun, fame, friends, family, finances, status, success, or good works apart from Christ's grace and truth, storms may well sweep us away. In fact, I’ve found that the storms of life have helped me see where I’ve misplaced my security and compelled me to rebuild. Like when I left my corporate career, the discomfort I felt showed me how much stock I put in title, income, and accolades. God recalibrated my identity in Christ.
Even the last two weeks, when my normal schedule was upended with a flurry of disrupting, though positive, activity, I initially felt discombobulated, which showed me how much I rely on my routines…so I fixed my gaze on Christ. Routines are good, but it’s nice to be able to weather disruptions without losing my peace or my marbles, by standing on solid rock.
Progress not perfection.
Is your spiritual house built on Jesus and his word, applied and active in your life or on someone or something else? Have you misapplied this teaching to think that obedience, that bristly word, doesn’t matter? Or are you working hard at being "good?" Re/turn to the solid rock of faith in Christ, in action.
Let the world twirl as it will. Our foundation is solid.
PRAYER:
On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. Amen. Thank You. I love You.
I'm very grateful for your support.
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