Anyway, his sermon today was about the two builders. You who grew up in the church know the story from the song, “The wise man built his house upon the rock.” He talked about foundations and building and what happens when we fall.
The story Jesus told is about a couple of guys -- one who built his house on rock, and the other who built it on sand. And when the tough times came, the house that was on the solid foundation stood firm, while the house built on the sand fell flat.
I have heard this story dozens of times, but this morning Bart talked about what happens when we fall. When the really tough storms come our way -- the unimaginable things -- we will fall. But the difference is that those who have built on a firm foundation fall onto that foundation. They fall back onto things that are sturdy and strong.
I am incredibly grateful for the foundation of my family of origin. I’m leaving on Tuesday to visit parents who provided me with every spiritual, emotional and intellectual benefit they could, while bringing me up in near poverty. I have the strength of their unconditional love, their unfaltering commitment to God, each other and their children, and their life of service to others to serve as a part of my foundation.
And I have faith in a powerful God. A God who not only CAN change things, but who cares about those things. My strong faith is the basis for all of who I am. And the God that I serve never, ever changes.
And I have the foundation of a strong marriage that is based on that faith. The pledge that we made to each other is stronger today than ever before. I am married to a man who is consistent and faithful in his love for me regardless of what I do, how I behave, the mistakes I make, the ups and downs of my life, and how much I change.
And so when the unthinkable things happen.... like an adult son facing several years in jail ... or a teenage daughter who is playing russian roulette with her life through a series of bad choices ... or any other kind of major loss that I experience... I fall sometimes.
And sometimes I like to think that I survive all of this because I am a strong person. But It has nothing to do with this “house” I have built and everything to do with where I’ve chosen to build it. It is not my personality, or my determination, or my character, or my strength. It is my foundation... a foundation of faith that is rock solid.
I can’t imagine going through some of the things I have gone through in the last year and coming to this place having only myself to rely on. I would crumble or dissolve. But instead, I have fallen -- not into piles of sinking sand, but I have fallen back into the strong arms of God.
I can’t say that I am grateful that I have fallen. I would like to say that I have been able to bravely stand through the storms of the past year. But I have not. The winds have knocked me over sometimes and the rains, like my tears, have flooded my heart. But since I have fallen onto such a solid foundation, I have been able to get up again each time.
I want to conclude with the words to the hymn we sang this morning, which is one of my favorites. Sure, the old English can be confusing, but the meaning in these words is so powerful.
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?
In every condition, in sickness, in health;
In poverty’s vale, or abounding in wealth;
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea,
As thy days may demand, shall thy strength ever be.
Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.
When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.
Even down to old age all My people shall prove
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.
The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.
2 comments:
I love this hymn. It is one of my very favorites. On the last day of philosophy of Christian thought with Prof Rogers he read this hymn to us. And he considered it to be his life's anthem. I was moved to tears at the sincerity of his message that day and it became a milestone in my life. I know that many students questioned his relevance as an instuctor but his class was one of my favorites. Just thought I would share that BWC memory with you. Also, your scripture choice from Bart's sermon has me chewing on a Blog idea of my own. So stay tuned!
i meant to put "met" in quotes. sorry. i guess when you read about people's lives for so many years, you do start to feel as if you know them. my kids and i live a rather isolated sort of life due to their disability. social visiting is darn near impossible, they just can't deal with the stimulation. i give all of you who open your lives to the public so much credit. it gives me so much support knowing that there are others out there!
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