A Solid Foundation
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
Last summer my husband and I toured Fallingwater, a house in rural Pennsylvania designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1935. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. Wright wanted to create a home that rose organically out of the landscape, as if it could have grown there—and he accomplished his goal. He built the house around an existing waterfall, and its style mirrors the neighboring rock ledges. Our tour guide explained what made the construction safe: “The whole vertical core of the house,” she said, “rests on boulders.”
Hearing her words, I couldn’t help but think of Jesus’s words to His disciples. During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told them that what He was teaching would be the sure foundation for their lives. If they heard His words and put them into practice, they would be able to withstand any storms. Those who heard but didn’t obey, in contrast, would be like a house built on sand (Matthew 7:24-27). Later, Paul echoed this thought, writing that Christ is the foundation, and we must build upon it with work that will endure (1 Corinthians 3:11).
When we listen to the words of Jesus and obey them, we’re building our lives on a steady, rock-solid foundation. Maybe our lives can look a little like Fallingwater, beautiful and built to last on the Rock.
By Amy Peterson
REFLECT & PRAY
What are you building your life around?
God, help us to hear and obey the words of Jesus!
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INSIGHT
In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus says following His teachings is wise and prudent, for they are the foundation on which a full and healthy life is built. He makes this statement after giving the Sermon on the Mount, which contains what has been considered by some the most difficult and stringent guidelines for life. But we aren’t left to live this life on our own; we are dependent on the Spirit. These requirements extend beyond actions and into the thoughts and attitudes. A person who honors God with his or her whole life will remain steady in the storms of life (vv. 24-25). J.R. Hudberg
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