Matthew 7:27

New International Version (NIV)

The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

For meditation

It pleasantly surprised me the first time I visited. The approach in itself was breathtaking. Everything around this vast one-hundred-hectare land was sandy, with Baobab trees dotting the dry landscape. It was typically Senegalese, but that massive development ahead of us presented a contrast of scenery agreeable to my inquiring mind.

The tour was a revelation. As we navigated the narrow, winding, wind-swept, and clayey path around the farm enterprise he calls Beersheba in Eric’s Mitsubishi truck, I couldn’t help myself being inspired by his foresight and unwavering faith. He bought the land and left it fallow for ten years until the dry land slowly turned into a forest with a diverse bird and animal population. A doubtful water exploration ended with a deep spring of pure water for irrigation. When we got to the administration block, everything I saw had convinced me it was a project our church outreach ministry could replicate.

However, a later visit to this beautiful agricultural sanctuary brought a shocking revelation. Three gigantic cracks on three sides of the administration building threatened to collapse it. Metal pylons supported the concrete roof, compromising the safety of the staff. I wondered what happened, but the answer was simple. The foundation of the building was faulty and couldn’t hold the structure after a few years of glory in the sun. Finally, they pulled it down.

Jesus was right, as He always is. The foundation of every structure is the real deal. No one can guarantee the stability or durability of a  structure raised on a foundation built on sand. The structure undergoes a stress test when exposed to harsh weather. Devastation results, and the builder laments their loss. However, the builder who dug deep to the rock level to set the foundation with quality materials (1 Cor. 3:12-15) will secure a safe investment. No rain or wind can collapse it (Matt. 7:24-27). Jesus used this analogy to show the wisdom of obedience to His word and the reassurance of building one’s life on Him.

Obedience starts with accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord. He becomes your life, a life built upon His word, which is faithful and enduring. The storms of persecution, economic and financial crises, and family and social upheavals will come in waves at various stages of life. However, only the life built on Christ, the Rock, will stand.

Unfortunately, many today have become unwise. They have built their lives on hollow philosophies, physical wealth, and deceitful religious propositions that continue to fail and bind them to slavery. Who wants to build a house only to see it torn down? Not only does one lose the investment, but also its security and comfort.

What, then, is the story of your life, and how much investment have you put into its foundation? On which ground have you set its foundation—on the solid Rock of Christ (2 Tim. 2:19) or on some other ground, which is all sinking sand?

Pray with Me

Dear God, we remember in our assessment that your solid foundation stands firm, sealed with the inscription that you know those who are yours. Please help us not to bluff our way into self-destruction and unwanted pain when life tightens up but to stand on Jesus and lean on His faithfulness in all of life’s gales and storms. In His precious name, we pray, amen.

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