“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”
Luke 6:46, ESV
In the 70’s and 80’s there were two popular comedic expressions: “The devil made me do it,” and “Could it be Satan?” It’s our nature to want to shift blame, but it’s no laughing matter. When God questioned Adam and Eve regarding their sin, Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent. Satan’s influence in our lives is immense, but we alone are responsible for the choices we make.
Unshakable
“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.”
Matthew 7:24-26, NIV
Recently, headline news broadcast devastating accounts of a Florida sinkhole that swallowed the bedroom of a man who lay sleeping in his bed. Later, a couple of miles away, another sinkhole opened up. This time it caused no injury or damage, but certainly it struck fear in the hearts of town residents who began to question the solidity of the ground beneath their feet.
As a North Carolina resident, I never question the stability of the ground upon which I walk. I take each step for granted, while those in California, who find earth tremors commonplace, are perhaps lulled into a false sense of security.
Life–shaking events sweep in unannounced. As the rains pound and the winds of adversity blow, our foundations are put to the test. I may not experience the movement of the earth beneath my feet, but I do know what it is like for the bottom to drop out of my world. I suspect you do too.
I have known loneliness after the death of a loved one, sorrow in the loss of a child through miscarriage, the emotional ups and downs that come with the birth of a special-needs child, heartache over one in rebellion, helplessness in the failure of a business, fear in the face of illness . . . and the storms rage on. However, in the midst of these life-altering events, I have experienced the indescribable peace and hope of God.
God’s Word reminds us that unless the Lord builds the house, its builder labors in vain. As painful and unforeseen events close in, choose to set the foundation of your life upon the solid Rock of Christ and God’s Word. Know it and obey it. Allow its healing balm to seep deep into the crevices of your heart and mind. Experience His stillness.
Setting the plumb line of our soul in alignment with the wisdom of God is the key to ensuring our foundation holds strong and secure in the face of crises. There is only one unshakeable foundation upon which to stand―Jesus Christ.
Rockin’ it till next time,
Starr