My youngest son recently decided he is ready to buy his first home. It is an exciting new season for him, but also a season of patience and prayer. Our advice to him first and foremost has been that you want a house with a firm foundation. It doesn’t matter how good the house looks, if the foundation is bad, this will compromise its structural integrity. It reminds me of the parable Jesus taught in the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount.

“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.” Matthew 7:24-27

 It is clear that Jesus is emphasizing that any one who hears His words and puts them into action is wise. Our entire christian walk revolves around wisdom found in God, instead of relying on our own understanding. When our foundation comes from the word of God we are able to fight through life’s storms. The floods(troubles) will not overtake us. Our lives can look very similar externally, but it is what is in our hearts that determine our paths. If we lean on God our Rock and follow His commands, we are like the wise man who built his house on the rock. The wise man lives obedient to God’s word. We should put action to His commands. We are called to be disciples and to spread the gospel to the world. When our actions match the words we speak, that is our testimony.

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it – not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it – they will be blessed in what they do.” James 1: 22-25

We have to view our lives from an eternal perspective. Everything we do follows us into eternity. When we read scripture we need to pray God will supply us with the ability to walk in wisdom in everything we do and say. Jesus was the perfect example of what we should strive to be. He modeled  a perfect life that honors God. We are not capable of living a perfect life like Jesus, but we do have a choice of  where we build our house. We don’t want our lives to crumble under pressure. Let’s live our lives with security and hope that our foundation is unshakeable.

“Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge.” Psalm 62:6-7