Weekly Devotional - July 6, 2012

"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."

Matthew 7:24 NIV

 

You may find this hard to believe if you live in a part of the country that is experiencing drought - like in Arkansas. But just a few days ago in Invermere, British Columbia, heavy rains led to the collapse of a retaining wall supporting a road into a residential community. Engineers say the wall was properly constructed but that the recent influx of water is the problem.

 

What? Aren't retaining walls built for the purpose of keeping soil from sliding downward? And isn't rainfall one of the things that can cause the soil to slide? I'm not an engineer and I did not stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night, so my thinking might not be up to par on this topic.

 

But I do know that Jesus talked about crumbling foundations and shifting sands. The uncertainties of life can lead to problems and even downfalls. What you think is solid ground can slide out from under your feet when tempted. Your secure footing can give way when bad news or disappointment comes. It's possible to maintain control even if you haven't prepared very well by implementing some disaster control. But most likely - hasn't this been the case in your life? - the lack of preparing facilitates the crumbling foundation.

 

Jesus tells us to prepare for floods by building the house on a rock. The solid foundation can withstand the torrents. You can eliminate some of the disasters that lurk around the corner but you can't avoid all of them. Life will certainly be marked by problems. A good foundation minimizes and even eliminates damage.

 

What makes a good foundation in life? Jesus said that a good foundation that will withstand the storms of life is to hear his words and put them into practice. Do you hear the word of God? Do you obey the word of God? Pray that God will help you put into practice what his word says.