The Resting Place

Run Through The Wringer

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gently and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 ESV

Recently, I read the word “smokehouse” in a friend’s email message. With my active mind already in gear for the day, that’s all it took to trigger a memory from long ago. I recalled the old smokehouse that sat behind our house when I was growing up, and I got to thinking about what was housed inside of it besides slab bacon, ham, and link sausage.

Back in the late 1950s or early 60s, I would have been no more than ten or twelve years old. The story I’m about to share is so vivid in my memory that it feels like it happened just yesterday.

The story begins with my mother’s Maytag wringer-type washing machine, a definite upgrade from the washboard she must have used when she and Daddy married in 1933. The washing machine sat at one end of the smokehouse, and the meat was hung at the other end with a partition separating the two spaces. If I’m not mistaken, feed corn was also stored inside the area where the meat was smoked, although that might have been a fire hazard. I may need to check my sources, so I’ll ask one of my older siblings! But for now, we’ll leave it alone.

I remember seeing Mother wash load after load of laundry in that noisy washing machine. It wasn’t a pretty appliance in any form or fashion, but it was reliable and did the job, causing the Maytag repairman to remain lonely. Those of us who remember Maytag’s commercial will catch that right away.

One day, Mother and I were in the smokehouse getting started on the wash. What happened next could have easily been something out of a semi-horror movie! The entire scene seemed to unfold in slow motion, but to Mother, it must have seemed like an eternity. Mother somehow leaned over or bent down over the machine, and her longish hair got caught in the rollers of the wringer as they turned. It was a good thing I was there at the time because as Mother screamed, I quickly found my way to the switch and stopped the motion of the rollers. We then had to reverse them and back Mother’s hair out, which took some doing. Understandably, Mother was a bit shaken but relieved to have all of her hair still attached to her scalp.

Back in those days, there was an expression we used when we were tired: “I feel like I’ve been run through the wringer.” Now we know where it comes from! Some people may have said, “Put through the wringer.” I grew up in East Texas and sometimes we had a different way of expressing ourselves. Either way, this expression was a common way to describe exhaustion and was particularly fitting for many situations. Mother was able to relate to that phrase literally, having experienced the physical and emotional toll of the incident in the smokehouse.

As my mind juggled all these thoughts, I remembered hearing a song by Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty entitled, yes, you guessed it—“Run Through the Wringer!” I went to YouTube and listened to it, and even caught myself singing along. It’s a perky little song, and I liked it. In earlier years, I always enjoyed Loretta and Conway’s duets, but I digress; that’s not where I’m going with this.

Friends, do you ever feel like you’ve been “run through the wringer?” Do the ups and downs of life get to you? Do you look around and see all of the crazy things that are happening in the world and wonder if it will ever get any better? I’m telling you, these days are not for the faint of heart. Are you tired of being tired? We’ve all been there, if we are honest. There are many challenges in this imperfect life we lead. At times, we have found ourselves either physically, emotionally, or spiritually exhausted. Sometimes all three seem to run together. We’ve experienced loss, pain, and sorrow and we’ve been taken down by others in unimaginable ways. But in the midst of it all, there is hope.

The good news I want to leave with you today is there is Someone who stands ready to shoulder your burdens. Someone stronger and more reliable than any machine. Someone who can bring you peace of mind and who will be with you through every challenging season of your life. There is a light at the end of your dark tunnel, and His name is Jesus. He is the one who will lift you up when you’re down, bring peace to your troubled heart, and give you the strength to keep going. He came to Earth, not as a king, but as a baby, experiencing the highs and lows of human life for 33 years. Through it all, He remained perfect because He was God in the flesh. He died sinless on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. Through His life, ministry, death, burial, and resurrection, He made a way to bridge us to our Heavenly Father.

Jesus came to give abundant life, even when we feel we’ve been run through the wringer. When we fall into His arms, He will comfort us, provide us with the rest we need, and bring sweet peace to our hearts.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we love You, honor You, and thank You for helping us when we’ve been run through the wringer. Without You, living a victorious life here on Earth would be impossible. We thank You for Jesus, our Savior who gives us daily victory. Please help us to pass our faith along as the Holy Spirit provides us the opportunity, and help us not to waste a moment of our time each day. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

Our Refuge

“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust Him.” Psalm 91:1-2 ESV

Most of us don’t like storms. In Central Texas, we usually have the threat of tornadoes during springtime, as well as the threat of severe thunderstorms that can produce hail the size of a golf ball or larger. But when I was growing up, the threat of severe weather was continually on my dad’s mind. Simply put, he was deathly afraid of storms.

I don’t know how old I was when Daddy sought to remedy his fear of bad weather by having what we called a “storm house” built. I remember the day when some men came and began building this steel-reinforced one-foot thick concrete square, about 8x8x8x8. The storm house was built into the side of a red dirt hill by the road running past our property. I can guarantee that no tornado would have ever wiped us out when inside this shelter. And Daddy was counting on that very thing.

The only problem as I see it now is that this shelter my dad was counting on for safety was a good 20 yards from the house. However, that fact didn’t deter Daddy. Whenever a storm was coming, he would summon Mother, my siblings, and me to make the trek to the storm house, sometimes even waking us from our sleep. In some cases, we’d be soaked before we arrived and at other times we made it there just in time. Three vivid things stand out in my memory about the storm house: 1) there was only one straight-back chair inside; 2) Daddy was always the one who sat in it; and 3) there were what seemed like hundreds of granddaddy long-leg spiders who didn’t like us disturbing their residence. With the old kerosene lantern as the only light, we children kept both eyes peeled, surveying for any unusual activity on their part.

Never in the length of time that I had to make the trip to the storm house did a tornado pass by. The last time I intended to make a trip there a was after Daddy had passed away. One weekend, my little daughter Shelly and I were visiting my mother. A severe storm was coming so we decided to head for the shelter of the storm house. The only problem was that we waited a wee bit too late to make a run for it. The wind was blowing us backward when we tried to open the gate; the umbrella was turned inside out due to high wind; and we were soaked by the hard rain already falling. Of all things, we stood there laughing before deciding to go back into the house. Thankfully, as bad as the storm was, we were safe inside the shelter of Mother’s house.

Today, the storm house is no longer there due to the county demolishing it in order to do extensive work on the road. But these fond memories made me chuckle, as I hadn’t thought about this particular memory in many years.

As I write this, I’m thinking about another type of shelter that God provides for us. We will all face times when we need rest and safety from the storms of life. Circumstances can bear down on us at times. Things may seem hopeless, but that is not true. There is ALWAYS hope because we have a shelter—a safe place where we can go time and again. This shelter will protect and comfort us every single time. To be a recipient of such security, one only needs to trust that God is who He says He is, that He can do what He says He will do, and that through belief in Jesus Christ, eternal life will be ours when we leave this world. He will take us under His wings and into the safety of His arms, shielding us from the worst of the storm. Based on personal experience, be assured that He will bring us out of our storm to be even stronger in our walk of faith.

Amidst these tumultuous days in which we are living, having the assurance of such a shelter will keep our hearts and minds at peace and give us much-needed comfort in knowing that our safe place surrounds us, that no storm can destroy us, and that God will always be with us.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, You are our Protector and Safe Haven through every step we take. You give hope when there is none; You bring peace when the noise of the world is pressing in; and You give assurance that our trials here on earth are only temporary. You give us the strength to believe there is a better day coming and that one day we will experience eternal life—something so wonderful that we can only imagine. You promise that we can experience this abundant life in the here and now. Thank You for these promises found in Your Word. Please help us to grab hold of them in every area of our life. We love You and honor You in all things. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

A Glorious Exchange

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” Ephesians 1:18-19 ESV

I am very thankful for having been raised in a Christian home. It wasn’t a perfect place, but it was one where I was taken to church and taught that having faith in Jesus needed to be my number one priority in life. How thankful I am that the spiritual eyes of my heart were opened at a young age. I’m thankful for having found eternal hope, peace, and joy. As we all do, I have failed many times, but Jesus has always been there to forgive me, set me straight, and help me keep the focus on Him.

God has a good plan for each of us. His eternal gift begins in the heart—surrendering one’s pride for His plan. What a glorious exchange! Today, I am praying for all whose spiritual eyes have not yet been opened. May they discover the view is much clearer and the way is much surer when their eyes and hearts are fixed on Him.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, You are the initiator of our faith and every good thing. By Your power and love, You made a way for us to be reconciled to You. Through our faith in Jesus, we can rest in the promise of eternal life when our time on earth is over. Help us to use every moment to make a difference in the lives of others, sharing the blessed hope we have in You. I pray this in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

A New Normal

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8 ESV

Patsy Clairmont, best known for her association with the Women of Faith movement, wrote a humorous, spiritually-centered book several years ago entitled “Normal Is Just a Setting on Your Dryer.” This dear lady has an amazing story. Suffering from agoraphobia, “the fear of wide-open spaces, crowds, or uncontrolled social conditions,” Patsy was traumatized by the thought of going outside the boundaries of her home. Then Jesus got a hold of her, changed her in miraculous ways, and continues to use her daily for His Kingdom.

Patsy’s life was anything but normal when the Lord pulled her out of the awful pit Satan had kept her in for so long. God gave her new life and freed her from the chains of fear that had held her imprisoned in her own home. He rescued Patsy for people like me and other women who were blessed by her messages of hope and encouragement whenever we attended the Women of Faith conferences. After one particular trip to the conference, I came home with many of Patsy’s DVD messages, which I still cherish. Recently, I have felt the prompting to share these humorous but relevant spiritual messages with other women, possibly in a small group setting in my home. I am praying about the timing for this endeavor.

In 2020, after the pandemic hit, I often heard people say, “I sure wish we could get back to normal.” It was a sentiment we all felt in our hearts. We passionately hoped for it. We prayed for it. And we longed for it. Days were long, weeks longer, and months seemed more like years. Our lives and the world had slowed to a crawl. The isolation was challenging and something we weren’t used to. As schools began to close due to COVID-19, I was responsible for helping my 8-year-old granddaughter, Sophie, with her virtual learning classes in my home. It was a stressful time, but we got through it with flying colors. Finally, we returned to our routines; thankfully, much has improved since 2020.

Fast forward four years and most of us feel that the times we live in resemble nothing near what we would consider normal. We find ourselves asking, “What is normal?” “Will it ever return?” Those of us who have lived quite a few years have seen many changes in the world since we were youngsters. We are prone to long for the life we remember from years ago. Things were ordinary and straightforward back then. But when we give it some extra thought, we find life wasn’t all peaches and cream in the “old days” either. In our present life, we simply long for peace, rest from the visual images of war, and a world where there is no division, anger, hate, and evil. That’s sure not the world we are living in today!

The truth is, our lives will never be “normal” as defined: “lacking observable abnormalities or deficiencies.” We can do our best to cover up physical, emotional, and spiritual abnormalities, but the truth is that we live in a fallen world. In our present life we will experience pain, suffering, grief, disappointment, and a host of other things we’d rather not have to go through. However, there is no way around it. Things aren’t normal. Sadly, here on earth they never will be. Like it or not, we are all in the same boat. Consequently, who we are allowing to steer our boat is very important.

Without a doubt, we can experience the peace of God in our hearts through each of our anxious and uncertain moments. We can make each new day one in which we don’t focus on the bad stuff; instead we can view our present difficulties through a spiritual lens and in light of eternity. This world is not our final destination. We are “just a passing through,” as the old hymn tells us. And it’s passing fast! While we are here, despite trying times, we have a sure and mighty Anchor to hold onto. We have someone who will always steady us, never change, and is always perfect and normal in every way! His name is Jesus, and He is as close as the mention of His name. If you aren’t depending on Him for your strength today, why not read the Book of John? Get to know who He is and see how much He loves you. The Good News is that He will take you right where you are—and He will shape and mold you, then shape and mold some more until He begins to see His image shining through you. He is the Master Potter and if you allow Him to do His good work in you, the transformation that comes forth will be amazing. He is loving, patient and kind and wastes no good thing.

Let us remember that while we are here on earth, we will never be without the presence of abnormalities, but we have the assurance that a new day is coming when Jesus will right every wrong and gather His flock to give us an eternal home in Heaven. There is no doubt that we are going to love our NEW NORMAL!!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, God of all creation, Maker of the sun, moon, and stars, how we love You! In You, there is life and breath and normalcy. You hold us and all things together. Thank You for loving us that much, and for the promise of a better day to come. In Your house, all things will be made new. One sweet day, we will experience all that Heaven has to offer and it will be marvelous! Until then, give us Your strength so we might continue serving You in all we do. I pray this in the name of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Of Great Worth

“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” I John 4:11

“And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.” I John 4:21

Terri, the sweet lady who had done my nails for several years, was not at the salon that day. Instead, she had taken the day off to be at the funeral home due to the death of her mother. Because Terri had talked about her mom at previous appointments, I always made it a priority to ask how she was doing. Naturally, I was saddened to hear the news of her passing.

As a little background information, Terri and I became friends on my very first visit to see her about 10 years ago. At the end of the visit, I not only gave her a nice tip but also a copy of God’s Word. She said she would read it to practice her English. After that, our friendship seemed to be that of mutual love and respect for one another.

Although Terri was of the Buddhist religion, it became apparent that she was respectful of my Christian faith. During my appointments at the salon, she often talked about life growing up in Vietnam. Sometimes, she cried because of cruel words from others that had been spoken to her as a child. Once we even cried together, for her story broke my heart. I always listened, did my best to encourage her, and felt honored that she trusted me enough to acknowledge the pain she was still feeling, even after many years.

My daughter, Shelly also went to the same salon and became friends with Terri and the other ladies there. Granddaughter Sophie, then four years old, helped to seal the friendships we all had. When Shelly became sick and as her cancer progressed, each time we were there, Terri and the other employees treated her with extra special care. Many times, Terri cried. She had grown to love Shelly very much and it saddened her to see Shelly so sick.

Because of the bond Terri and I shared, I felt very strongly that it was important for me to go to the funeral home to pay my respects that afternoon. After the appointment, I quickly went home, changed into more appropriate clothing, and headed out.

When I arrived at the funeral home, I was greeted with such love and warmth. Terri and her niece, TG, who also worked at the salon, gave the biggest hugs, with tears. They were very appreciative of my visit. What a beautiful family. I have NEVER seen as many flowers as this dearly departed lady had been given to honor her 94 years of life. It was evident how deeply loved she was by many people. As I stood there in the moment, I silently thanked God for the “nudge” He had given me to visit the funeral home that day.

You know, friends, our hands, and our hearts are capable of many human and spiritual responses. That day, I simply used both to hold a hand and give hugs to one who was hurting due to her loss. I told Terri and her family that I would be praying for them. It was the most important thing I could do for a family who was grieving.

Terri retired three years ago and I no longer go to that particular nail salon. Although she and I were different in many ways, I believe that our loving Heavenly Father brought us together for a little window of time, all for His good purposes. As God does with all of creation, He sees great value in Terri’s worth. I pray that she saw Jesus through me—not for my glory, but for His alone!! As God allowed, I planted and watered the seed by His leading. I think of Terri often and continue to pray that someone else will reap the harvest of seeing her come to know Jesus as her personal Savior.

Today, I urge you to be on the lookout for your own Divine Appointments. You will find them in many of your daily routines and activities. You are the hands and feet of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ here on earth and He wants to use you for His good purposes. All He needs from you is a willing heart and He will do the rest.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. There is none like You. We thank You for loving us so extravagantly and for placing others in our daily walk of life with whom we can share Your love. I pray that You will keep Divine Appointments on my calendar, and the calendar of Christians everywhere who are praying to make an eternal difference in the lives of others. I pray, even now, that my friend Terri and her family will come to know the true and living God, for You have already filled her with great love for others. Help us to always serve others with gladness and Your joy in our hearts. I pray this in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Operating in Faith

“Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:8-9 ESV

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 ESV

Do you know that we operate on faith every day without thinking about it? There are many examples, but I’ll only give one. For instance, I’m currently sitting in a chair at my desk writing these thoughts. When I sat down, I didn’t think twice about whether or not the chair would hold me up. I had faith that it would. After all, my desk chair has always done its job. Consequently, I’ll go through my day having faith in many things I don’t even think about.

A person doesn’t have to be a believer in Christ to exercise this non-spiritual kind of faith. It comes naturally and helps us maneuver throughout the activities of our day, and this life.

Now spiritual faith is a different thing entirely. Christians know what and Who the object of our faith is. We have experienced faith becoming real in our lives. In my case, I was 12 years old when I committed my life to Jesus Christ. At that moment spiritual faith was born in my heart through the presence of the Holy Spirit. I was a babe in Christ, but I was His. Praise God!

It takes a lifetime to grow in our faith because God is always working through life’s varying circumstances. Our faith is made stronger through both the good and hard times we experience. Romans 8:28, one of my favorite scriptures tells us the following, “And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Not some things, but ALL things. Our faith should propel us to lean closer to Him through everything we experience in life. If we do, we will find a deep-down peace that surpasses our own understanding.

As we move forward each day, let us pray that God will use the faith He has implanted in our hearts, to love and emulate Jesus more than we did the day before, for it is God’s constant work in us that changes us for the better.

I’m so thankful I can call on Jesus 24/7. He’s as close as the mention of His name. Like my desk chair, a non-spiritual object, He is the spiritual object of my affection. He will always hold me up, love me, support me, forgive me, and help me to live out His plan for my life. He will do the same for each of you. All you need to do is ask.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, You are the object of our faith. Please help us to daily live in such a way that others will see Jesus in us, which is our greatest desire. Forgive us when we fail to exercise the faith You have already given us. We trust You to strengthen us as we travel through our daily walk of life. I pray these things in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Love Never Fails

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” I Corinthians 13:1-8

A little over twenty years ago we were in the middle of constructing our current home. Without fail, we visited the site daily to see the progress that had been made.

One particular day, our daughter, Shelly, and her three older children were with us at the house. It was on that day that Heather, Justin, and Jacob asked permission to sign and date a corner post located in the hallway. Several days later, our granddaughter, Felicia also signed and dated the same post. As the house was completed, the walls covered that special place, but I’ll always be reminded of the signatures and message of love behind the wall.

A few years after we had moved into the house, a dear friend gave us a beautiful cross based on I Corinthians 13:8, “Love never fails.” Right away, I knew the perfect place to hang it was on the wall at the exact spot where the grandchildren had signed the post.

This morning as I was reliving this memory, I thought of an application that could be used intentionally by each of us not only today but every day while we are here on Earth. Wherever we go, whatever we are doing, whatever our circumstances, let’s not hide our love and kindness to others behind the walls of our hearts. Sometimes it’s easy and more comfortable to settle into the safety of our own lives. But I also know that everyone we meet is fighting some kind of battle. It might be physical, emotional, spiritual, all three, or a combination of the three. Rest assured that you can make a difference. A smile. A hug. A kind word. Little acts of kindness on your part is often a big deal to others.
And remember, there is much love behind the Cross. For you, and them. As the verse of scripture says, “Love never fails.”

I’m so thankful for these grandchildren who long ago expressed their love for us in a unique and lasting way. And I’m thankful for God’s everlasting love. It is the difference between joy and sorrow, hope and despair, faith and fear. This is the Good News I’m taking into my day. I hope you all will do the same.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father. Thank You for loving us in such a way as no one else can. We praise You for that never-ending love given to us through our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. You loved mankind, your creation, so much that You sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. We cannot comprehend such love but we receive it with thankfulness and humility. Help us to love others as we seek to shine Your light on those we encounter in our daily walk of life. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Last Will Be First

“If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” John 12:26 ESV

One day the last Scripture will be placed in someone’s hand. The last encouraging word of our faith in Jesus Christ will be spoken to someone who is searching for peace in their own life. The last song will be sung. The last church service will be held. There will be a lot of “lasts!”Time is short. It could be any day.

As believers, we look forward to what God has in store for us in Heaven, but while we’re here on earth running our race for Jesus Christ, may our greatest desire be to come in last! Sound strange? In this case, I believe that being last has merit and certainly eternal implications.

Let us have the desire to be that person who shares the last Scripture with someone who needs encouragement. As we share that Scripture, may we never be reluctant to share our unique story of redemption and rescue. Doing so will serve as a testimony of how God can take the broken pieces of our lives and make them into a beautiful masterpiece to be used for His glory alone.

So yes, may we endeavor to be last in our work for the Kingdom of God. May we not stop, become discouraged, or take our focus off the prize we’ll receive for completing our race.

Regardless of what your race here on earth involves, please remember that while Heaven is our home, Earth is the place to make Jesus known. And one sweet day, we will see Him in all His glory and majesty. What a day that will be!

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, how we praise You and thank You for being with us through every moment of our lives. Give us strength and wisdom in serving You. May our spiritual race be run with the determination and endurance only You can provide. I pray this in the mighty name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Tough Times Never Last

“When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.” Psalm 94:18-19

I’m so thankful that God knows every anxious moment we experience in life. It is impossible to avoid such times for they come to all of us. But…..the Good News is that we don’t have to be alone during those times. We have Jesus to see us through each moment of uncertainty. He is as close as the mention of His name; He will always meet us at the point of our need; He sees us when we feel otherwise unseen; and He will bring peace to the midst of our chaos.

Life can be tough, but tough times never last. Please remember that you have Someone who can see you through those difficult moments and seasons of life. He knows what you need and stands ready to help you. For sure, when you call upon Him, you begin to experience a deep peace that only He can give. I can promise you this. Why? Because He’s done it for me countless times during my lifetime. But most importantly, in His Word, Jesus gives a rock-solid promise: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27.

God loves you more than you will ever know. Today and always He wants to walk beside you. The key is to call on Him. Invite Him into your situation, believing that His wonder-working power will help you through.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are the God who sees every aspect of our lives. You are working in our lives even when we can’t see or feel it. Help us to lean into Jesus and trust His heart for us. Thank You for giving us such love. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Build Your House Upon the Rock

“Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.” Luke 6:47

After reading the above scripture, I was reminded of the song below which we sang as children. I thought about how blessed I’ve been to have had “strong-in-the Lord” pastors whose uncompromising messages from God’s Word have helped strengthen my spiritual foundation. Through personal time with the Lord—regular prayer time, Bible studies, small groups, mission trips, Christian music, and serving in special ministries with others of like mind, God has put His Word into my heart so that I might steadily develop a stronger spiritual foundation, held firmly and securely by my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The Good News today is that God is always working to shape our faith and change us in such a way that our spiritual foundation will remain strong and unshakable. If we ask and allow Him to, He will strip us of those unsightly hindrances that would prevent us from growing in our faith. He will take them to the recycling center of His love and make us someone who more closely resembles Himself, and someone who will not be ashamed or afraid of sharing the Good News with others as often as He allows.

Abiding in Jesus—remaining steadfast and confident in Him, taking advantage of the tools He provides for our spiritual growth, and living a focus-centered life in Christ will enable us to stand strong on our spiritual foundation through every season and every circumstance that lies ahead. I will always be a work in progress, but am so thankful for His love and care throughout my lifetime. I owe Him a debt I can never repay, but thanks be to God, Jesus loved me enough to pay that debt for me.

The ground is level at the foot of the Cross and our heavenly Father will always meet us there. He is the rock on which we stand. He is ready and so very willing to help you and me begin or continue building a strong and lasting spiritual foundation.

The Wise Man and the Foolish Man
Ann Omley, 1948

The wise man built his house upon the Rock,
The wise man built his house upon the Rock,
The wise man built his house upon the Rock,
And the rains came tumbling down.
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
But the house on the Rock stood firm.

The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
And the rains came tumbling down.
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
And the house on the sand fell flat.

So build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ,
So build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ,
So build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ,
And the blessings will come down.
The blessings come down as your prayers go up,
The blessings come down as your prayers go up,
The blessings come down as your prayers go up,
So build your life on the Lord.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for helping us to strengthen our foundation of faith in Christ every day. Forgive us when we fail to honor You as we should and help us to live each day according Your principles. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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