This Month’s Theme:
Build on the Rock
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
Matthew 7:24-29
Artist’s Reflection
Matthew 7:24-29 has been one of my favourite passages since I was young. As I grew older, and deeply meditated on this verse a bit more, I realised that building a house on the rock is not as easy as I thought it would be because it meant listening to God and obeying His commands.
Sometimes, it feels like obeying God puts us in a “disadvantageous” position or requires a huge sacrifice on our part. As a result, we turn a deaf ear to Him and become accustomed to making hundreds of excuses instead of acting on what we hear.
Illustrating this image allowed me to reflect on my own personal life. Am I someone who listens to the Word of the Lord, only to do nothing about it? If so, I am like the foolish man who built his house on sand. I am reminded once again of our Father’s heart for us: He wants His beloved children to live in a house that is set on a firm foundation (Matthew 7:11), and He’s given us the Holy Spirit to help us do so.
No matter the wind, rain, or storm that we face, if we stand firm on the Rock of Ages, we’ll stand victorious. My prayer is that we’ll live like the wise man, building our lives on the foundation of God’s word.
—SuJung Jang
Join in the Conversation
Is your life built on rock or on sand? It’s a question that requires us to dig deep into our foundations, but will have a profound impact on how we weather the storms of life. Matthew 7:24-29 tells us that a life that’s built on solid rock is wise. It’s one that relies solely on God, and is built by listening to and obeying His words. While a life that’s built on sinking sand, is one that finds security in temporal treasures, fleeting advice, and fragile “truths”—all of which shift according to circumstances and the passage of time.
There is no “quick-fix” to the process of building our lives on solid rock, but our reward will be a “house” that has Jesus as it’s sure foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11)—a house that remains immovable, and won’t falter or be shaken by the challenges of this life.
What does living a life built on a rock look like to you? Does it make pressing through life’s hardships and injustices easier? And how do you obey God when what He’s asking of you seems impossibly hard?
If you’ve got a story to share, we’d love to hear it! Check out our writers guidelines and send us your story.
Here are some subthemes to help you get started:
- Discovering Jesus’ love amidst life’s challenges
- Building a firm, unshakeable faith
- Walking in wisdom
Topics to Explore
Discovering Jesus’ Love Amidst Life’s Challenges: Stories of hope and redemption in the midst of: crisis, unemployment, job loss, grief, death, mental health challenges, break-ups, divorce, sickness, physical disability, conflicts, broken relationships, economic uncertainty.
Building a Firm, Unshakeable Faith: Apologetics, evangelism, navigating doubt, dealing with questions about the faith, growing deep in God’s Word, rooting ourselves in God’s love, prayer, renewing our minds.
Walking in Wisdom: Decision-making, learning to listen to Jesus, walking in obedience, discernment, repentance, accountability, mentoring, choosing the right friends, leaning on community, being a light.
Join in the Fun
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