Digging Deeper – Not If, But When
48 “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. 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”
Luke 6:48-49 (ESV)
NOT IF, BUT WHEN
One of the easiest things to overlook about Jesus’ illustration of the poorly constructed house is the inevitability of oncoming tribulation. Indeed, for both the house built on the rock and the house lacking a foundation the approaching flood is a certitude. In verse 48 we are told “when a flood arose” and, likewise in 49, “when the stream broke against it.” The old adage applies here: it’s not “if, but when.”
Proactive will always beat reactive when it comes to enduring life’s difficulties. The time to lay the foundation is before the diagnosis, before the betrayal, before the accident, before the financial setback. And building upon that foundation will look like compound consistency – obeying God’s Word, daily devotions, fellowship with other believers, praying, evangelizing, memorizing and studying Scripture, etc. These things done routinely over time result in a profound, enduring faith that can weather the storms of life. Oswald Chambers, the author of the exceptional devotional My Utmost For His Highest, states, “Drudgery is the test of genuine character. The greatest hindrance in our spiritual life is that we will only look for big things to do…the routine of life is actually God’s way of saving us between our times of great inspiration.”
Thanks be to God that we are here today in front of His Word listening to what He has to tell us. Consider it an invaluable deposit in the treasury of Christian living. Whether you are in the storm or headed into the storm, know that a house built on Christ is “well-built” (v.48).
Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.