Firm Foundation (He Won't)

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a Wiseman who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall because it had been found on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it." -Matthew 7:24-27

While Jesus was teaching the sermon on the mount, he began His famous parable about the two foundations people build their lives upon. In his teaching, Jesus did not offer multiple types of foundations or pillars that his audience might be leaning toward for the strength of their days and lives. He specifically described the two realities for them that day: either they were building their lives upon the rock, or they were building their lives upon the sand. Jesus was calling His people to reflect upon which foundation was the reality of their hearts at that moment. I, too, encourage us to reflect upon what it means to build our lives upon the rock of Jesus and His Word.

For the person who builds their house upon the rock, Jesus provides a true source of joy, peace, and strength that each person longs for and is in personal need of today. As His people choose, in dependency, to trust in the reality of His Word, they are perfectly secured to Him.

It is important to note that a self-dependent heart is seeking the same need for joy, peace, and strength that the dependent heart needs. As Jesus so gently taught us, it is simply where we turn to for that foundation that matters. Within seasons of suffering, when the wind blows, and the rain pours down upon me, I have to ask myself what is being exposed of my heart. What are the false hopes I have been holding onto and the false foundations I have so tightly been clinging to? I invite you to ask yourself the same question, friends: what have you been looking to for your foundation of joy, peace, and strength? How have you clung to self-dependency instead of a dependent heart upon Jesus, who provides everything we need? 

The beautiful truth today is that we are invited into the fullness of life with Jesus as His bride. Jesus 1) is the only one who brings about our salvation and secures it in life and death and 2) the only one who continually sustains us and sanctifies us as we walk by faith in the storms and trials of our lives. He, being gentle and lowly in heart, longs in His deepest heart to provide peace, joy, and security to us in life with Him.

May we, as the rain comes and the wind blows, join with our brothers and sisters and sing the song of Jeremiah 17:7-8 which says, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is in the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water that sends out its roots by the stream and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” 

This is for us today, friends!