UPON THIS ROCK, I WILL BUILD MY FUTURE
The storm finally quieted. The little girl held her mother’s hand as the family drove through town to survey the damage. They came upon a flattened house. The girl cocked her head as she scanned the ruins. Then full of understanding, she told her mother,
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus told the story of two builders and two foundations. When the rains buffeted, the house on the rock withstood the storm. The man who built his home on sand found nothing but ruin after the rains (Matthew 7:24-27).
But how do you construct a sure foundation when the ground is carpeted with Transformers? The answer is
one broken toy at a time.
A building project requires wisdom, fortitude, and patience. Competent engineers develop a blueprint and stick to the design. We wonder how anything resembling a home will arise from the pile of boards and cement bags. The skilled carpenter places his tools strategically about the worksite; yet, to the casual observer, havoc appears to reign. Construction is messy, and the ultimate test of endurance. But when the spiral staircase becomes a reality, we rejoice at the sight of the long-awaited prize.
Then and only then are we glad we waited.
In many ways, parenting is like building a house. We want our children to grow up to be productive adults. We know that the end product will require all the patient molding of an artisan. We are weary and worried that our best efforts will be like sand.
Long ago, before the foundation of the world, our loving Father looked down the path of history. He saw the world in chaos and hopelessness. He saw you and me in the mass of confusion. He had a blueprint for the world. His master plan was to send His only Son to die on the cross for the redemption of humankind.
What we sometimes fail to remember is that God planned our lives before we even lived a single day. He has more knowledge of how our house will look than we could ever have imagined. When we feel we are being tugged like silly putty, we can be confident that God is shaping us into His pride and joy.
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