Matthew 7:26-27 “But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards.” (The Message Bible)
At regular intervals we are taught lessons here in New Jersey about building houses in sandy areas, like along beach fronts. The latest one was even named Sandy. Like the storms of life Sandy hit very unevenly. Some places were relatively unaffected while just a few miles away there was devastation. We can expend a lot of emotional and intellectual energy trying to figure out why some get hit worse than others, especially if we feel we are one of those harder hit. Jesus doesn’t focus on that here. His concern for his followers is that they will be able to deal with whatever comes (and if you read ahead in the bible you know they had some difficult issues to attend to) by having a faith that was not just head knowledge but a way of life. We all develop a rule of life, those basic principles that we affirm by building our schedules and relationships and aspirations around. What are yours? How are you living them out this week? Where do the words of Jesus fit into the things you do?
Logan Memorial Presbyterian Church 