“The wise man built his house upon a rock, house upon a rock, house upon a rock…”

I remember singing that chorus with my Sunday School students. It is based on the account in Matthew 7:24-27 in which Jesus spoke to the multitude about the wise man and the foolish man. One man built his house upon a rock, while the other built his house upon the sand.

This passage occurs at the end of the Sermon on the Mount, and Jesus had presented some hard truths to the people – to us.

Things like

• the way to eternal life is a narrow way, while the way to destruction is broad;
• being known by the fruit we bear; and
• getting the log out of your own eye before trying to get a speck out of someone else’s.

After all the teaching, Jesus ends with the story about two men.

²⁴ Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

²⁵ And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

²⁶ And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

²⁷ And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Two men who chose to build on two different foundations – rock and sand.

Here is what struck me as I read this story again: life happened to both men!

They both had rain.

They both had floods and wind.

Both houses suffered from the viciousness of the elements.

One house stood. One house fell.

The only difference was the foundation.

Rock or sand.

Make no mistake. There is only one foundation that will get you through the storms in this life. There is only one wise way to build your life. Only one foundation is eternal!

The Rock is Jesus. The foundation is obedience to His word, His teaching.

Any other foundation or belief system with leave you with a flattened house – a destroyed life.

We are facing storms in our world, and everyone will experience the difficulties of life, the heartaches, and the trials. We are not immune.

Do you want to make it through? Do you want your house to stand?

Turn to Jesus. Trust Him. Obey Him.

There is no other way.

John 14: ⁶ Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Revelation 3: ²⁰ Behold, I (Jesus) stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.