He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. Luke 6:48
Dear People Who Keep Company with God,
The strength of a building lies in its foundation. A well-built foundation keeps the building standing while the forces of nature wreak havoc. A poorly constructed foundation can be dangerous to the occupants and its neighborhood. When life is calm, our foundation doesn’t seem to matter. But when crises come, the quality of our foundation is revealed. In concluding the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord compares two types of houses that experienced the same storms. He does not speak of any structural difference or a variation in design except their foundation.
The Lord revealed a spiritual foundation that will enable us to stand in the day of trouble. “Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like.” (Luke 6:47) Coming to Him, hearing His words, and doing them is the only foundation for withstanding any storm. Jesus told us that we must dig deep, which implies it will take time and effort to build this base in our lives. As we grow in our relationship with Him, we can perceive the Holy Spirit’s voice and are enabled to do all He commands. Doing is not mindless action but rather an obedience proceeding from the heart of a loving relationship. Those who truly follow Christ and do what He says are someone who “laid the foundation on the rock.” And the Lord is the rock (1 Corinthians 10:4).
In Matthew 16, Jesus had a conversation with His disciples that clarifies building upon the rock. He began the dialogue by asking, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” His disciples responded, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” (Matthew 16:13-14) These are significant prophets, miracle workers, and preachers whom God used mightily in the Old Testament. Jesus, wanting to make a point, pressed them further and asked, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus responded, “flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 16:15-16)
When Christ came, the Old Testament heroes of faith move to the background, and the Son of God takes center stage. The revelation of Christ is the sole basis for a relationship with God: hearing His voice and doing His will. God will not build upon any other ground. Our lives built upon Christ empowers us to stand firm through any storm. It is tempting to build upon prophetic words, miracles, anointed servants of God, or spiritual gifts. As wonderful as these things are, doing so will only lead to disappointment. They are not foundational. These are gifts of grace for building up our spiritual lives. We are to build with them, but never upon them, for if we do, our houses will collapse when the storms of life fall upon us.
Many Blessings, BW