Don’t build your House on the sandy land!

A story is told about two men who were builders…. and they both built houses. The one built his on sand while the other built his on rock. I imagine that both houses looked pretty similar once they were finished but there was major difference – the foundation! Eventually a storm came and the house on the sand fell down but the one on the rock stood firm. Of course, the story I’m referring to is the one that Jesus told in Matthew chapter 7: 24-27 If you went to Sunday school, you’re possibly singing the song! (let me know if you did!)

We can learn much from this short story. Its all about building in the calm. No builder builds a house when there’s a storm outside. Builders have to wait for a fairly decent day. A challenge in itself in the UK! So why do we think it should be any different in the Christian walk? Just as you can’t build a physical house in a storm neither can you ‘build’ a life in a storm either. Let me explain and use Betty as our example! If you’re called Betty, it’s not you!

Betty is a Christian and has been for a while. She goes to church when she feels like it, but if she’s under the weather or tired, she doesn’t bother. She prays occasionally and reads her Bible on a Saturday night because she feels guilty that she hasn’t read it all week and at least if the pastor asks if she’s been reading her Bible she won’t have to lie! She goes to the prayer meeting every few weeks when there’s a challenge from the pulpit and she doesn’t serve in anyway because it doesn’t matter if she’s not there – she won’t be missed. This has been going on for years and being a Christian hardly makes a difference to her every day life. Then a storm hits! Her son, Jim,  is arrested on drug charges and robbery. She didn’t see it coming.  She let him choose from an early age whether he wanted to go to church or not. It wasn’t important to her so it wasn’t important to Jim.  She phones the pastor, hunts for her Bible but can’t find it, goes to the prayer meeting but nothing changes. It’s too late and Jim goes to prison. All Betty can do is watch.

Could it really be down to Betty’s choices that her son went to prison? It’s highly possible. Could the storm have been avoided? I think so or if she’d built on rock, she could have overcome it. The truth is, she didn’t know what to do and she possibly blamed the devil! He can have a part to play of course but Jesus said that He that is within us is greater…. The fact is, Betty didn’t build on rock and when the storm came, her house fell down. Is it possible to re- build? Of course! But it will take a long time and a series of very different choices! And there will probably be some long term circumstances will and Jim will have to live with.

Both builders in this story face storms. No-one avoids them but if you build on rock you can overcome them and your house will remain intact. This is how Jesus starts this story: ‘he who hears these words of mine AND PUTS THEM INTO PRACTICE’ is like a wise man who builds his house on a rock. When the storm comes, his house will stand firm. Jesus says the opposite about the foolish man. His house will come crashing down. Some older versions of the Bible actually say ‘their house will be COMPLETLEY DESTROYED’ do you know any Christians whose ‘houses’ are completely destroyed? I do…..

So, how should we build? Here are my thoughts: every day set aside time to be with God, just you and Him, read and study His word. Find out what HE says about family, church, giving, serving etc…. Make church a regular part of your life.  Let your kids see that life with Jesus is the best way to live. If they see your life as a success then, even if they do go their own way (I don’t believe they have to by the way but that’s another blog!) they won’t be able to deny the ‘success’ of your life. Get to your churches prayer meeting, Bible study, home groups. We all need regular intervention from God’s word and from each other. Serve your church. Get in the trenches! Our world needs to see that Christianity is exciting, life giving and that the Bible is true!

Dont live a life building huts on a beach that keep getting knocked down every time there’s a storm! Dig down deep with firm foundations when everything is going well! Don’t wait til there’s a storm and they try to build! You can’t! Build now while the sun is shining                                                                                                                                                                           and when the storm comes, and it will, you can stare it in the face and say, ‘bring it on, my house isn’t  going anywhere!!!