Jesus told a story about two builders. One, for whatever reason, decided to build his house on sand. The other builder chose rock as his foundation.
It could be that the sand builder was in a hurry. He may have wanted something that would happen fast, that he didn’t have to put much effort into. Perhaps he had nowhere else he could build. Perhaps he had no knowledge of construction.
Whatever the reason, the storm that came, illustrated the futility of the sand builder’s efforts. His initial decision was unstable. It resulted in the instability of the whole. It was a story about someone who heard God’s Word and did nothing about it.
The man who built his house on the rock actually dug down deep and laid the foundation on the rock. He put effort into it. He looked into it further. He asked questions, He read books on it. He didn’t just cast away what he heard or who he heard it from. He made decisions based on what he had heard. He wanted truth and sought it out for himself and built his life based on that truth; the Word of God that he had heard.
Life is full of storms. The money runs out, the relationship is more work than fun. We lose the beauty and vitality of youth. Illness comes or we lose a loved one. It is in the very process of living. I am sure that when the house on the sand fell, the builder started yelling at God. “Why did you let this happen to me? Why did you do this to me? If you were a loving God, you wouldn’t have let this happen to me. I don’t believe in you anymore!”
The one with the good foundation was prepared. He had his trust in God. He knew that God would hold him safe in any storm. He was secure.
In the old testament, we hear much about ‘the rock’. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10;4
“For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.”
So when the Psalmist says:
“The Lord is my rock and my salvation”
or Hannah prays:
“There is none holy like the Lord, for there is none besides you, Nor is there any rock like our God.”
or Isaiah declares about a righteous king;
” the shadow of a great rock in a weary land,”
they speak of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Like the chorus of my childhood declares:
“So build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ”
