Firm Foundation
The lyrics from the kindergarten Sabbath School class ring in my ears whenever I read Luke 6:46-49 (Building on a Solid Foundation).
As I reread this passage what stood out to me was verse 46 where Jesus asks the question, "Why do you keep calling me "'Lord, Lord!' when you don't do what I say?" Jesus goes on to give this analogy: "I will show you what it's like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built."
Knowledge has to translate into changed behavior at some point or it's like one is building a house without a foundation.
Some of us are so afraid of legalism that we unknowingly ascribe to stupidity. The simplicity of Jesus' statement here is what grabbed me. It only makes sense -- we ought to do what Jesus tells us. If He is the Son of God (and verily, God) then He knows what's right for our lives. What kind of sense does it make to talk to the One who is Omniscient (all knowing) and then do the foolishness of your own finite mind? It doesn't make sense! To do so is to undertake endeavors for naught, to build in vain. Eventually, the storm will visit your neighborhood. There may be blue skies above and the sun may be shining today, but your best flood insurance policy is a solid foundation, which is obedience to the revealed will of God as expressed in His word.
It's ironic when you think about it. Ev and I have visited a few model homes. When walking through the homes the interior decorators are so good that they distract you from focusing on the things that really matter. I cannot say that I have ever paid close attention to the foundation when walking through a model home. Ev and I looked at some homes in Cherry Hill and the decorating was just exquisite. When we left we talked about how if we ever bought one of those homes it wouldn't look like the models because we couldn't afford the decorating. But it was the decorating that sold the home to so many, not knowledge of the foundation. We assume that the foundation is solid. And there are countless stories about homes and bridges and other massive structures whose poor engineering or substandard concrete work compromised the quality of the structure itself. But no one knew until a crisis stressed the building. The crisis revealed the quality of the foundation.
They didn't pour foundations in Jesus' day like they do today. The foundations were built block by block.
We ought to be building a firm foundation block by block. When Jesus points out an issue, we ought to put that block of truth in place by His grace. And when He comes along with another block, we ought to put that block of truth in place by His grace. Eventually, we will have a firm foundation and when the storm comes, having done all we can, we'll be able to stand. Lord, help me to not only be a hearer, but also a doer of Your Word.
The wise man built his house upon a rock
The wise man built his house upon a rock
The wise man built his house upon a rock
And the rain came tumbling down
Oh, the rain came down
And the floods came up
The rain came down
And the floods came up
The rain came down
And the floods came up
And the wise man's house stood firm.
The foolish man built his house upon the sand
The foolish man built his house upon the sand
The foolish man built his house upon the sand
And the rain came tumbling down
Oh, the rain came down
And the floods came up
The rain came down
And the floods came up
The rain came down
And the floods came up
And the foolish man's house went "splat!"
As I reread this passage what stood out to me was verse 46 where Jesus asks the question, "Why do you keep calling me "'Lord, Lord!' when you don't do what I say?" Jesus goes on to give this analogy: "I will show you what it's like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built."
Knowledge has to translate into changed behavior at some point or it's like one is building a house without a foundation.
Some of us are so afraid of legalism that we unknowingly ascribe to stupidity. The simplicity of Jesus' statement here is what grabbed me. It only makes sense -- we ought to do what Jesus tells us. If He is the Son of God (and verily, God) then He knows what's right for our lives. What kind of sense does it make to talk to the One who is Omniscient (all knowing) and then do the foolishness of your own finite mind? It doesn't make sense! To do so is to undertake endeavors for naught, to build in vain. Eventually, the storm will visit your neighborhood. There may be blue skies above and the sun may be shining today, but your best flood insurance policy is a solid foundation, which is obedience to the revealed will of God as expressed in His word.
It's ironic when you think about it. Ev and I have visited a few model homes. When walking through the homes the interior decorators are so good that they distract you from focusing on the things that really matter. I cannot say that I have ever paid close attention to the foundation when walking through a model home. Ev and I looked at some homes in Cherry Hill and the decorating was just exquisite. When we left we talked about how if we ever bought one of those homes it wouldn't look like the models because we couldn't afford the decorating. But it was the decorating that sold the home to so many, not knowledge of the foundation. We assume that the foundation is solid. And there are countless stories about homes and bridges and other massive structures whose poor engineering or substandard concrete work compromised the quality of the structure itself. But no one knew until a crisis stressed the building. The crisis revealed the quality of the foundation.
They didn't pour foundations in Jesus' day like they do today. The foundations were built block by block.
We ought to be building a firm foundation block by block. When Jesus points out an issue, we ought to put that block of truth in place by His grace. And when He comes along with another block, we ought to put that block of truth in place by His grace. Eventually, we will have a firm foundation and when the storm comes, having done all we can, we'll be able to stand. Lord, help me to not only be a hearer, but also a doer of Your Word.
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