“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall” Matthew 7:24-27

The test of adversity reveals the nature of the foundation. In normal times a poor foundation is indistinguishable from a good one. But, it becomes clearly evident in the aftermath of a hurricane, tornado, or flood as to the quality of the foundation.

Such as it is with lives: the test of the foundation are the storms of life. The crisis reveals the construction quality. And, according to Jesus, the formula for a good foundation is both hearing and heeding what He says. It is not enough that we read and listen; if we do not take seriously the need to translate teaching into lifestyle, we are in peril amidst the storm.

Many of us have the discipline of a quiet time first thing in the morning. There is no better way to start the day than reading a chapter or two of scripture and spending some time in prayerful meditation. But, according to Jesus, this may not be enough to storm-proof our lives. Unless this morning quiet time extends into practice throughout the day, we are not building the needed firm foundation.

I share these words, not as a master foundation builder, but as a fellow struggler. I am often amazed, with regret, that I gave no further thought to what scripture revealed until the next morning quiet time. The words of James 1:22-24 apply: “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.”

A perfunctory reading of scripture is like a passing glimpse in the mirror on the way out the door. Better that we seek Spirit enlightenment as to application so that we can say with the psalmist, “Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You” Palm 119:11.

Working on the foundation,

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