24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
Matthew 7: 24-27
This passage from the Bible always conjures up an image, doesn’t it? It’s one of those stories from the Bible that most people have heard of even if they aren’t Bible scholars.
When we saw this house at the beach one time I was immediately reminded of the story. Obviously this house did not start out being so close to the water but as storms and hurricanes came and went the beach eroded and the house ended up standing in the water. I imagine the homeowners have considered their options and who knows what they will do. Will they knock it down? Let it gradually dissolve into the ocean? Who knows?
But it is a reminder to me to stay strong and make the right choices. The right choice is to build on a solid surface and not sand. Whether it is relationships or my spiritual life it is important to have a solid base. Not one that shifts and moves with the wind.
In relationships it begins with honestly and yes -sometimes vulnerability. It means being open to what the friendship can bring and allowing myself to give of myself without losing any part of myself. My younger self would sometimes try to fit in and change who I was depending on the people I was with. My “older” self knows that is not a healthy way to base a friendship. The friendships and relationships that are real to me are the ones where I am truly myself and allow the relationship to grow solid on firm ground.
My spiritual life is rooted in a faith in a God who is a solid and a firm piece of my life. It has been difficult this year with no in person church services – I won’t lie – but I have tried to focus on the thing that is solid and firm. God has and will continue to be my anchor in the storm. When the sands shift He stays firm and does not move. Unlike the above house – his love for me holds my firm and fast during the trying times.
Let’s face it. This year has been trying in so many ways for so many. But my Rock, my constant, my source of hope remains in my God. As long as I concentrate on building all parts of my life on Him, on the Rock, things seem much more manageable.
