Devotions Archive Archive: 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Search Archive Print This Article Our house is a very very very fine house Thursday, December 1, 2016 Matthew 7:24-27 Jesus said, "Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, the winds blew, but it did not collapse. And everyone who does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, the winds blew, and it was completely ruined." And the people were amazed at Jesus' teaching, because he spoke with authority, unlike their other teachers. Most of these folks went home to family dwellings where they rode out storms of all kinds together. Living out Jesus' words essentially meant living lives of love and sharing, turning away from selfishness and hate. Living Jesus' way protects me from all the awful elements, whether I'm indoors or not. Turning away from Jesus' way of love sets me up on day one for calamity. It's only a matter of time. My eyes don't see this truth clearly or consistently. But Jesus is happy to remind me from time to time. His brother James wrote, "Count it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, when you fall into trials. For you know that this testing of your faith produces steadfastness. Let that have its full effect, that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing." Graham Nash's lovely musing about happily-ever-after requires that we be patient with adversity. "... with two cats in the yard, life used to be so hard, now everything is easy 'cause of you ..." Thank you, Jesus, for living with me in the house you showed me how to build. "; Add      Edit    Delete