House of Cards

“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.” –Jesus Matthew 7:24-27

How is your “house” doing these days? Do you feel like your current circumstances has you sinking in sand or are you unphased by the current events sitting on the rock of your faith?

I confess I have had some “foundation issues” at my “house.” It seems like parts of it were on solid ground, but I’ve discovered a few “sink holes” recently.

I love Eugene Peterson’s translation of these verses, “But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards.”

Maybe your faith feels more like a house of cards right now. Trouble has rained down in your life, fear and anxiety have flooded in, and despair has begun to rise. Maybe God has shaken up your routine of going to church on Sunday and maybe sprinkling in a Bible study to expose the fact that it means nothing if you don’t put the things you’ve learned into practice. It’s almost like we fill our plates with church activities as an insurance policy for our sinful habits.

If you want your faith to hold firm during tough times then you will need to start building your life on the Rock, that is Jesus Christ. It’s time to begin seeking His kingdom first instead of running after your own desires and interests, storing up treasures in Heaven not here on earth, stop worrying and stop judging others, love your enemies, give to those in need, and be a peacemaker. Jesus said the gate is narrow so you might want to take some time to make sure you are walking in it.

“These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.” Matthew 7:24-25 MSG