Built Upon Shifting Sands

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. 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. But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash, (Matthew 7:24-27).

The Importance of a Foundation

I was eight years old in 1976 when the bridge that carried US 75 over the South Canadian River at Calvin, Oklahoma collapsed.  We lived in Allen at the time, which is only 14 miles from Calvin.  It was a new bridge; only a few years old.  The old bridge was still there, but the highway had been rerouted slightly for improvements and upgrades.  I can’t tell you how many times our family drove over that bridge before it collapsed.  I would always look at the old bridge when we crossed the new one.  I don’t know why really, other than I liked its design and I didn’t really understand why it wasn’t being used.

My father was the State Medical Examiner for this area of Oklahoma.  He was called to the scene of the accident.  The bridge collapsed in two large sections – one on each end – leaving a lone standing piece of bridge in-between.  Each of the collapsed areas created a “V” shape.  The sight of those two enormous “V”s in the failed bridge is something I will never forget.  There had been three vehicles on the bridge at the time of its collapse – a car and two semi-trucks.  The men in the trucks were both killed immediately.  The car landed in a large pile of driftwood, no doubt playing a role in the driver’s survival.  It was a terrible tragedy that effected the people who lived around there for a very long time.  The key cause of the bridge failure was its foundation.

How Firm a Foundation

Jesus tells us the only foundation worth building on is Him.  In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), He ends this magnificent teaching session absolutely full of everything a Christian needs to know by explaining that if we hear His words and live by them we have a firm foundation that cannot fail.  However, if we chose not to act on His words, we are foolish with foundations made of sand.

I can’t possibly add to anything Jesus said.  It’s perfectly clear already.  My husband has over 30 years experience in the foundation business, and I can tell you if you build on sand, whatever you build will collapse just like the Calvin bridge.

Let’s look a little deeper at the words of Jesus, “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,” (Matthew 7:24).

Is it enough to just hear the words of Jesus?

No.

We must act on them.

I’m not saying that our works give us a firm foundation in Jesus.  He didn’t say that either.  Do you live and breathe and eat and sleep Jesus?  Or do you go to church on Sunday morning, maybe pray when you need something, and basically live your life on the outer lane with just enough God to make you feel like you’re still on the right track?

It all comes down to this…

Where is your heart?

If you do live and breathe and eat and sleep Jesus, why do you do it?  To clarify, you don’t have to spend 24/7 on your knees in prayer to have a firm foundation in Jesus.  If He is in your heart, you will be led to act on His words.  You will withstand the storms of life because Jesus is your foundation.  I didn’t say you won’t have storms…Jesus didn’t either.  But, He said you will withstand them.  “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 7:25).

To live and breathe and eat and sleep Jesus because you feel obliged, or you think it’s what you should do, or maybe it makes you feel better than others, or you hope to get something out of it means your heart is not in the right place and your foundation is not Jesus.  It’s much more like shifting sands.  Hard to believe I know, because you’ve been doing all this Christian stuff, but if your heart isn’t right with Jesus then it doesn’t matter.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!” (Matthew 7:21-23).

Another powerful lesson from the Sermon on the Mount.

The Greatest Tragedy

Life is so much better when you live it for Jesus and He is the rock upon which your foundation is built.  I encourage you to read the Sermon on the Mount today.  Open your Bible and turn to Matthew 5.  Don’t stop reading until you finish chapter 7.  Then just sit, dwell on His words, maybe read it again or pray and ask God to reveal to you what He wants to teach you today so you may live a life full of His blessings.

The old bridge at Calvin is still standing, as shown in the photo above.  It has outlived two other bridges.  Even though it has structural issues now due to age, its foundation was solid.  Is your foundation solid or will you collapse with a great crash?

To not have Jesus as your foundation is the greatest tragedy.

For no one can lay any other foundation than what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Christ, (1 Corinthians 3:11).

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Photo is of the old Calvin bridge.