“So why do you keep calling Me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to Me, listens to My teaching, and then follows it.” (Luke 6:46-47 NLT)
The above story continues with Jesus talking about one person who listens and follows His teaching, so they dig deep and build the house of their life on solid rock. When the storms of life come, they stand firm. On the other hand, the one who listens but doesn’t obey, is like a person who builds their life on the sand. When the inevitable storms come, they “collapse into a heap of ruins.”
Which person do you want to be? Not many people set out to let their life end in ruins, so we have to ask ourselves: “Which person am I? Am I a listener or a doer? Am I someone who attends church or listens to podcasts, agrees with all the right things and the right people, but rarely, if ever, read and study my Bible? Do I devote specific time each day to prayer and to interact with God’s Spirit? Am I digging deep in God or settling for the crumbs of another person’s efforts?”
These and a thousand other questions surface as we consider the implications of this story. What did Jesus mean when He spoke about digging deep and laying the foundation of our life on the rock? Of course, Jesus IS the Rock, but how do we dig deep to lay the foundation of our life on Him?
How are foundations laid? If they’re done right, it takes time and effort. Obviously, the type of foundation depends on the type of structure you plan to put on it. You don’t lay the same foundation for a skyscraper as you do for a single-family dwelling. You don’t lay the same foundation for a life of crime as you do for a life of service to the Lord.
Implicit in knowing what kind of foundation to lay is knowing what kind of life you want to build. If you’re looking for “fire insurance,” just enough “commitment” to keep you out of hell; your plan is to be religious enough to fool people, but you really don’t want to give up your ties to the world, sorry friend, it ain’t happenin’! That’s not how Jesus rolls.
Ron Hutchcraft wrote: “Unfortunately, too many of us try to build our relationship with Christ on dirt and stones. We’re event Christians, living from one Christian event to the next. Like a drug addict, we live from high to high with long stretches of spiritual wilderness in between. We depend on other believers to be our strength. We govern our Christian life by our feelings and our surroundings rather than by the words God has spoken to us.”
Is that you? The first question to answer in determining what foundation you’re laying with your life is “Am I being honest with myself?” We may be able to fool ourselves and maybe a few others, at least initially, but one person you’ll never fool is Jesus. He knows your heart and your thoughts. If you’re dishonest with yourself, you’re being dishonest with Him. You’re building on sand and gravel. It’s not a question of whether your life will crumble, it’s only a question of when.
You can listen to teachings about Christ or even read your Bible all day long, but unless and until you begin to obey what you’re hearing and reading, you’re on a very slippery path. May I challenge you to stop trying to have one foot in the world and the other in Jesus? Today, right now, get on your face before the Lord and quit running.
With open hands and heart, give Jesus His rightful place as Owner and Operator of your life. Let Him forgive, heal, and restore you. Allow Him to guide you in becoming the child of God He created you to become. Let Him guide you, step by step in laying the solid foundation on Him that is the answer you’re seeking but haven’t found. Stop just listening and start obeying!
Let’s pick this up in tomorrow’s post!
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 