Rock Buildings

Living in New England, there are no shortages of rock.  So when we started building the family-room addition onto the back  of our home, it was no surprise that the most widespread material that we found in our yard was rock.  Lots of rock!  And let me tell you, most of the rocks where not ideally located.  So as a family, we spent a great deal of time moving rocks, arranging rocks, re-arranging rocks and piling rocks until the rocks were all in just the right places.  Even the children carried rocks, smaller rocks, but still rocks none-the-less. When the ground was finally sufficiently level and the concrete was poured, the foundation of our family room formed together quite beautifully! 

Months later, rainwater began to take it toll where it had collected on the roof and then poured off the eaves onto the ground below.  The surrounding sand was beginning to wash away from around the outside edges of the foundation.  Having a measure of fore-sight, my husband prevented further erosion by supporting the surrounding ground with more rocks.  The rocks kept the ground and our foundation from washing away.

“…And the rains fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and slammed against the house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock...” Matthew 7:24-27

Rocks, so simple and and yet so incredibly necessary to the foundation of all structures!  Rocks do not move!  They do not wash away! They do not blow away!  They hold, as a firm foundation so that a building may stand!  So why is it, that I so often avoid building on rock? Its the obvious choice!  So why do I so easily believe the lie, that a momentarily-satisfying-sand-like-foundation will hold?  Will self propelled plans and attempts ever truly succeed? 

 “…like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against the house; and it fell-and it was a great fall.”  Matthew 7:24-27

As I was reading Matthew chapter 7 this morning, the image of my children carrying small rocks and carefully laying them out as part of our foundation caused me to take a reflective pause.  Which endeavors in my life have been carefully built upon the rock?  And which ones have not been? Which ones have been successful and which ones have not? Which decisions did I make hastily, choosing the path laid with sand?  And which endeavors did I take to God first, laying my foundation upon Him, my solid Rock?  Which endeavors have withstood the rain, the floods, and the winds? And which ones, have not?

Praising God again today for His Love, for His Word, for His forgiveness and for His direction.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to the wise man who built his house upon the rock…” Matthew 7:24-27