Thursday June 25, 2020
Readings: 2 Kings 24: 8 17; Psalm: 79, Matthew: 7: 21 -29
Today’s Gospel takes up the same theme of obedience /faithfulness leading to stability and security while disobedience/unfaithfulness result in disaster and destruction. Today’s Gospel has two stunning expressions of terrible condemnation from the very mouth of the gentle and merciful Jesus. “Then I shall tell them to their faces: ‘I have never known you; away from Me, you evil men!’ (v 23) and “Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and stuck that house and it fell; and what a terrible fall it was” (v 27). This passage above is followed by the contrast of one who built his house on sand. The wind and rains came and the house collapsed. It’s a clear contrast that leads anyone to conclude that having your house built on solid rock is much better.
The house is your life. And the question it raises is simply, how strong am I? How strong am I to face the storms, hardships and crosses that will inevitably come my way?
When life is easy and all goes smoothly, we do not necessarily need great inner strength. When money is plentiful, we have many friends, we have our health and our family all gets along, life can be good. And, in that case, life can even be easy. But there are few who can go through life without facing some storm. When that happens, our inner strength is tested and the strength of our inner convictions is required.
In this story from Jesus, the rain, floods and wind that buffeted the house are actually a good thing. Why? Because they allow the foundation of the house to manifest its stability. So it is with us. The foundation of our lives must be our fidelity to the Word of God. Do you believe the Word of God? Have you pondered it, studied it, internalized it and allowed God’s Word to become the foundation of your life? Jesus makes it clear that we will have a solid foundation only when we listen to His words and act on them.
Reflect, today, upon how deeply you believe all that Jesus says. Do you trust in every word He has spoken? Do you believe Him enough to rely upon His promises even in the midst of life’s greatest challenges? If you are not sure, then this is a good day to recommit yourself to the prayerful reading of His Word. All He says in Scripture is true and those truths are what we need to create a firm foundation for the rest of our lives.
God Bless you. Have a wonderful day.