BUILT ON THE ROCK

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” —Matthew 7:24, 25

Storms come to each of our lives.

While they affect us in different ways and at different times, they are an inevitable element of our human experiences. Whether as widespread and implacable as the weather itself or as individual and unique as our most private trauma or tragedy, the storms we experience can shape us in different ways. They can leave us harder or more empathetic, angrier or more understanding, defeated or more resilient, more isolated or more reliant on the help of others and the power of God. In short—as Jesus taught—such storms can reveal the foundation of our lives. When Jesus gave this example, He was probably not thinking of coastal views and ocean frontage. Instead, His listeners would have imagined the wadis that flash flooding had carved out in the Judean and Samarian hills. At the bottom of these narrow valleys were smooth sandy flats leading down to the Jordan River. It was easy to build in these places, but everything could be swept away with a heavy shower of rain somewhere up the valley.

Building on the rocky hillsides was a more arduous undertaking, but the result would be a house that was less subject to the vagaries of weather.

Jesus urged His disciples that following His teaching would not necessarily feel like the easier path, but ultimately, it was the path with less risk.

They would not be immune from the inevitable challenges and tragedies of life. Storms would still come, but grounded in the teaching and promises of Jesus, those who heard and put them into practice would remain firm.