Matthew 7:24-27
Key Verse: “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24-25 CSB)
In August 2005, a Category 5 hurricane named Katrina caused catastrophic devastation in Florida and Louisiana in the southern United States, particularly in the city of New Orleans. Storm surges from the hurricane caused flooding in more than 80% of the city and wiped out entire city blocks. To this day, you can still see the remnants of the damage that was caused to houses and other structures by the storm.
Near the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount, the people would also have been familiar to a certain degree with the threat of flooding. In the wintertime, when the rains came, it was not unusual for the rushing waters of the Jordan River to cause the sea to overflow its banks, threatening any nearby structures that were not properly built.
Jesus uses this imagery then as a teaching point to help people understand what it means to truly follow Him. He tells a story about two men who encounter a significant storm while building a house. To those looking on, the activity of the two men would have appeared to be very similar. Both were building a house. Both encountered a devastating storm. The difference between them, however, was in what wasn’t so obvious initially – their foundation.
One man had chosen to build the foundation of his house on the bedrock below, while the other had chosen to build only on the sand. When “the rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house,” only the house that was built upon the rock stood firm, while the one built on the sand collapsed. Only one remained standing in the storm because only one had a solid foundation.
Storms have the ability of revealing that, don’t they? When devastating storms hit, we see very quickly how strong a structure’s foundation truly is. The same is true for us. When the “storms” of life hit, the true depth of our faith in Jesus is often revealed. As the waves of doubt begin to crash upon us, as the winds of the culture seem to be prevailing, as the floods of trials begin to overwhelm us, will we stand secure in Jesus? Will we continue to trust in the unchanging goodness and love of God? Will we cling to the promises that He had made to us in His Word? Will we continue to walk in obedience to Him, not merely hearing His words, but acting on them regardless of our circumstances? Or will our faith collapse under the weight and pressures of the storm around us?
Whether you are in the midst of a “storm” right now or there is one on the horizon, remember that God is greater than all of it. For those whose faith is rooted deeply in Jesus Christ the Rock, He is more than sufficient to carry you through. Continue to lean on Him today. Invite God to take you deeper in your knowledge and faith in Him. Only Jesus is the firm foundation on which we can stand!
Prayer: God, I praise you that you are greater than any “storm” that I will face. Help me not to be overwhelmed. I choose to trust you regardless of what is happening around me. May my foundation be you, Jesus. Root me deeper in you as I seek you today. Amen.
