My friend was recently touring a home that was for sale because he is looking to purchase a new home. The particular home he was looking at was beautifully decorated. His young son was with him touring the house as well. As they were touring the house, the little boy excitedly jumped on the bed in one of the rooms before his dad could stop him. As he jumped on the bed, the bed caved in because it was actually a poorly filled air mattress. My friend's son laughed and learned a very important lesson: do not jump on furniture in a stranger's house. The truth is, there is an even deeper lesson from my friend's little boy: a firm foundation is important. If a firm foundation does not support us, we will fall. This is true in all areas of our lives, including our spiritual lives.
Jesus taught in Luke 6 that following God and His word creates a firm foundation for our lives. As He was teaching one day, Jesus asked the question, "So why do you keep calling me 'Lord, Lord' when you don't do what I say?" (verse 46). He then went on to say that someone who listens to Him and then does what He says is "like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built" (verse 49). This person has a solid foundation because they are rooted in Christ. They listen and respond to Christ through their obedience. Likewise, Jesus teaches that a person who does not respond to Christ in obedience is "like a person who builds a house right on the ground, without a foundation" (verse 49). In other words, honoring Christ by hearing and obeying Him brings stability, structure, and peace.
God communicates with each one of us, and our call is to respond. This response to His communication is obedience and worship. Obedience means doing what He calls us to do and living the way He has called us to live. Worship is living in such a way that we honor Him and show Him how much we love Him through our actions. Will you respond to Him? This obedience will create a firm foundation for you to build your life on.
Take some time right now to pray to God. Confess to him areas of your life where you have not done what you knew He was calling you to do. Confess the areas where you have not responded to His prompting. Next, ask Him for boldness to live in such a way that you honor Him with your life and respond to His callings with obedience and worship.
“A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.
“So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house right on the ground, without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”
