Tuesday September 17, 2024

Today is Tuesday, September 17 and we are learning what the Bible says about foundation.

Holy and loving God, In the quiet of the morning, I pause to connect with Your Holy Spirit. You are my firm foundation. You are the rock on which I stand. When the future is uncertain, when the world doesn’t make sense, when I am anxious, worried, or afraid, I stop to remember Your good promises. Thank You for being with me in every circumstance and reminding me that You place my feet on solid ground. I can trust You completely. Amen.

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. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash. Matthew 7:24-27

One day when Jesus saw the multitude of people following him, He went up on a mountainside, sat down with His disciples and began teaching. This collection of instructions is known as the Sermon on the Mount and is found in the Gospel of Matthew chapters 4-7. It is a challenging teaching and a continuous reminder of what it means to live our lives as faithful followers of Jesus Christ. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus outlines his beliefs, precepts and advice. He closes the sermon and then says – build on this. To illustrate how we are to build our lives on His words, He gives a short illustration of two people who each build a house but select different foundations.

Jesus tells us we are to not only hear His words but also put them into practice. Throughout our lives rains have come and will continue to come. There will be unexpected storms. Cloudbursts of illness and diagnoses of disease. Thunderstorms of unfairness, injustice and oppression. Torrents of grief and loss. Swift streams that rise up without anticipation and continue to rise. Floods of frustration, worry, anxiety and fear. Waves of division, dissension and disagreement. Increases in hate and unkindness among fellow human beings. Relationship problems at home and work. Deluges of arguments and angry words.

Throughout life the winds have blown and will continue to blow and beat against us. Winds of social pressure and rising secularization. Gusts of economic hardship, job loss and financial concerns. Whirlwinds of temptation and provocation. The storms of this life will come and pound against us, wanting us to fail, to fall, to buckle under the weight of it all. Crash down like a house of cards.

Imagine you are in your home and the weather is raging outside – rainstorms, thunder, lightning, flooding waters, freezing temperatures, 50 mph wind gusts. The house shakes with the pressure. You hear the eaves creak amid the strain and the torrents of water begin to seep through the walls and windows. Take a moment and name the parts of your life that currently feel like a storm. Consider what the rain, flood and wind represent for you this week. What is exerting outside pressure on your soul? What is causing you anxiety, worry or fear? Do you doubt and distrust God or are you trusting God in faith? Jesus is there for you in every circumstance and situation. He is with you. You are not alone.

Ask: Have I built my life on rock or sand? When the storms come will I discover I am the wise builder or the foolish builder?

Pause and Pray

Lord Jesus, You are my rock, redeemer and friend. Thank You for the teachings of Holy Scripture. I ask for the grace and power of the Holy Spirit to open my ears to hear Your words and enable me to put them into practice. I strive and endeavor to be the wise person who builds my house upon the rock and not the foolish person who builds his house on sand. I open the door of my soul and welcome you into my heart. Teach me your ways, remind me of what is true and right and good. Set my priorities in proper order. Do some foundation repair, correct the cracks in my infrastructure and shore me up. I want to build my life solely on the Rock that is You. Amen.

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