“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” Luke 6:46-49 NIV
Longfellow got it right when he wrote,”Thy fate is the common fate of all, into each life some rain must fall.” An unwanted diagnosis, the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, an unfaithful spouse, a tragic accident, a worldwide pandemic, yes the storms of life can be harsh and brutal, but with the right foundation we can stand unshakable.
To build on a strong foundation, you have to dig deep! It’s going to take some time, and some work! Both men, in this analogy, wanted to build a house; one jumped right in and started building, but the other took the time to make sure he was building his house on something strong, something that would be able to endure the test of time. What are you building your life on?
Jesus is the only one who can help us navigate the storms of life without being shaken. For He is never shaken, never surprised and never caught off guard. He sees the storm coming long before it arrives, and is well able to prepare us for whatever life throws our way. Like a solid rock, the winds cannot move him and the rains cannot compromise His strength. So how do we make Jesus our foundation?
- We must first make Him our Lord, which means, we must do what He says. Not just when it’s convenient, or when we think it fits nicely into our plans, but we must submit to God all the time. Our plans must yield to His plans. Our decisions must be based on His instructions.
- We must hear His words. This is where the need to dig down deep comes in! It takes time to study the Bible and time to pray for insight. It’s a daily thing. Are you willing to start each day opening up God’s word and pouring over i? And are you willing to spend time in prayer, seeking His wisdom so you apply His word correctly? Before you pick up a hammer and start building anything, you need to understand the instructions. You need to fully review the blue print.
- We must put His words into practice. If you want to be unshakable, with the strength to endure the storms of life, you have to trust that God’s way is the best way. Following Jesus requires trust and surrender. Obedience to His word is not optional when He is your Lord. If you pick and choose what to obey or only obey when it’s convenient, then He is not the foundation on which you are building your life.
Everyone wants a strong foundation. Everyone wants to be unshakable. But not everyone will make Him Lord, dig deep into His word and put it into practice. How about you?