Matthew 7:24-27—“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash.”
When I was ten, I remember putting on my rubber boots and walking down the basement stairs to see the flooding. Our basement was covered in water, toys, and papers floating, and everything was ruined. All because there were cracks in our foundation. The basement was my safe space, so my heart broke when I saw it destroyed. Everything I held dear was now damaged and destroyed.
Once the water was cleared out, we began the clean-up process. Throwing out things that were unsavable and sanitizing, and deep cleaning floors and walls. However, my father said something I would never forget while cleaning: “If we don’t take the time to repair this correctly, it will happen again. And if we don’t clean it right, the rot will set in, making things worse.”
It was his way of showing my brother and me that some things take time; in this case, it would be worth taking our time.
The same is true about our spiritual foundations.
If we don’t take the time to get it right when the storms of life come, they will knock us down, and then the rot of sin will take over.
Let’s dig deeper into this parable of the two houses.
First, think about these houses—the only difference mentioned in the story is that one is built on stone, and the other, on the sand. So from the outside, these houses looked good in appearance, yet, when the storm came, that is when the differences showed.
Our foundation is what will keep us safe and give us security. If our foundation is washed away, there is nothing for us to fall back on. Our foundation is our faith.
Let’s look at the houses as if they are people.
Both attend church, sing worship songs, read scriptures, and pray. However, when the storm comes, only one is left standing.
See the difference in their foundation? It may not be evident since their outward actions are the same. But the most significant difference isn’t always something that is seen, especially when life is going well. Still, it is definitely noticeable when the storms of life blow in.
If we do not obey and practice the scripture daily, we live in a false sense of security. Their faith isn’t entirely in God, and when the storm comes, they try to handle it with their own strength. It is one thing just to hear the words of Jesus and another to act on His words.
“Everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man …”
It isn’t enough to just hear God’s words—we must be doers of the word.
James 1:22—“But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
Take some time to really think about your own personal walk with God. Are you a listener or a doer?
Self-reflection is a great tool to help you make sure your foundation is strong. Even Paul references this in 1 Corinthians 11:28, “Let a person examine himself …”
Here are some reflection questions to help you reinforce your spiritual foundation:
- How does my light shine on others?
- Am I trusting Christ completely for my righteousness, or am I trying to earn it?
- What are my true motives for giving, praying, and fasting?
- Do I worry, or do I trust in the Father?
- Am I guilty of judging others?
- Am I acting on the Word?
- Am I asking for forgiveness?
Sometimes the storm may come into your house, and it won’t fully wash away—let that be a lesson on where you need to reinforce your foundation. Storms will come, but when we place Jesus as our cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20), we can rest and leave it up to God.
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