The Building of a House

Nine years ago this past weekend, 

we moved into our home.

As, I looked through the pictures 

of the 6 month-long building process,

I was reminded of the story

Jesus told about 

The Two Builders

"Why are you so polite with me, always saying 

'Yes, sir,' 

and 

'That's right, sir,'

 but never doing a thing I tell you?

These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life,

homeowner improvements to your standard of living,

they are foundation words, words to build a life on.

If you work My words into your life, 

you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep 

and laid the foundation of his house on bedrock.

When the river burst its banks

 and 

crashed against the house, 

nothing could shake it; 

it was built to last.

But if you just use my words 

in Bible studies 

and don't work them into your life,

you are like a dumb carpenter 

who built a house 

but skipped the foundation.

When the swollen river came crashing in, 

it collapsed like a house of cards.

It was a total loss."

Every one of us is building a house, 

not a house to live in with our family,

but a soul house.

When we begin to build it,

it needs a foundation.

And the only foundation that will keep us safe
is the Rock-Christ Jesus.
We build on this Rock 
by obeying Jesus' teaching.


We must spend time with Him,
in the Bible, to know what His teachings are.


The Bible is a blueprint
that will tell us exactly how to build our soul house.
When the storms (divorce, death, an affair, 
rebellious children, illness) come
and beat against our soul house,
we will not be shaken.


I do not want to be
the dumb carpenter
who built her house, but forgot to dig deeply
for a foundation.
I do not want, WHEN (not IF),
the swollen river 
comes crashing in,
to collapse like a house of cards.
To be declared a total loss.


I want to be the wise carpenter.
What about you?