April 30 - Matthew 7:24-27

April 30 - Matthew 7:24-27

“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.”

I remember standing at the front of the church, talking to the organist, who was also a fairly close friend, about the immense tumble of feelings that were occurring within me. Mom had died on Friday, it was Sunday morning and after an incredible late March blizzard, we were going to have the funeral that afternoon.  One of the things I said to her was that I could see how easily a person’s faith could be disrupted with the overwhelming pain of loss. Of course she assured me that my faith was strong and she was right, but that wasn't the first, nor would it be the last of the events in my life to test me.

My heart, passions, loves, furies, emotions … all of those things are woven together and reside fairly close to the surface. If you know me, you know what I’m feeling and you know what I believe. When storms threaten me, I don’t easily weather them as if they don’t exist. I am buffeted by the storms and I react all over the place.

Notice that this passage doesn't say anything about the windows or the roof, the things hanging on the interior walls or the furniture and contents of the house.  It only says that the house did not fall because of the strength of its foundation.

The strength of my foundation is in Jesus Christ. Of that I’m certain. However, once you get past that foundation for the house, things are a little different. Windows break, artwork falls off the walls; sometimes the walls might crack a little as well. Furniture gets moved around; sometimes to shore up a door so nothing can break in. Books come crashing off the walls, piles of blankets become a hideaway for a breaking heart, and sometimes nothing is safe inside that house.

But, the house remains. Even when everything else on the outside and on the inside have reached epic storm proportions, the house stands, because the next day will more than likely bring sunshine and warmth and a reminder that there can be peace.

The very core of who I am, the very foundation of my soul finds strength in Jesus Christ and it is that foundation that allows me to survive every storm and continue to find love and give love.