Simply the Bible Blog

Everyone is building on something. Brick by brick we seek to improve our present situation. The question is on what are we building? What foundation forms the basis of our thoughts, opinions, passions and morals? And what happens when the culture around us shifts? Do we shift with it? Or are we like the Rock of Gibraltar, steady in defiance of the proud waves of public opinion beating against it?

It all depends upon our foundation.

Let’s face it, to a certain degree we’re all the product of our upbringing. Rightly or wrongly the early experiences of childhood shaped us. At times they steered us toward our “teachers”; at other times they drove us in the opposite direction. Nevertheless, they have molded us into who and what we are. Our trajectory is set, and there would be little to deter us from it were it not for The Almighty. He is the X-factor who changes hearts and lives. He takes Saul of Tarsus, a persecutor of Christ and the church, and turns him into the apostle Paul, the great champion of Christianity. He takes a prostitute named Rahab and makes her a believer and ancestor of His Son. He takes a drug addict and makes him into a pastor.

How does God work this marvelous process of transformation? He does it by His Word. Jesus said:

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:24–27)

Two people hear the same word. One person takes it to heart and acts accordingly; the other ignores it and does what he wants. One house stands; the other falls. It isn’t intellect, talent, wealth or age that makes the difference. It all depends upon one’s relationship to the words of Christ. Do we listen or ignore?

A firm foundation is available to anyone who will trust Christ. Often it means turning a deaf ear to the siren call of the world. It means denying ourselves our own pleasures. It isn’t easy, but it is certain. And in a world of shifting sand…isn’t it good to know that there is someplace you can plant your feet and build your house?