The house

I had a rare and enjoyable moment last week in the car with one of my kiddos.  Those of you with teenage children know that open communication with a child that age without distractions is a huge blessing!  When we cut through a small street in town, she asked me a question.

She said “Mom, what makes a house fall down… like I bet that house right there was really cute a long time ago?”  I had to think for a minute and try to tap into my husband’s logical brain and leave my creative one in the background.  My answer was immediately my column for the week because houses are like people and left untended, unchecked, unmaintained, will fall down.  Knowing she wanted a less abstract answer, I said “Well, Banner, one board at a time they rot, weaken, and crumble.” 

I asked my husband later and he said the foundation is the key because the house I was referring to was a pier and beam and termites usually eat them away.  The falling house has stayed with me all week and circulated around in my head like a washing machine in the middle of a cycle. 

Houses are like people.  Let’s just say that when you invite Jesus into your heart, the foundation is laid.  You go from sand to rock instantly because the Holy Spirit lives in you. If you feel like you live, stand, and are supported by only sand that gives way all of the time and has no stability, this is why.  You need to trade in the sand for the Rock. 

Even when you are standing on the ROCK and Jesus Christ is your Savior, you will have to maintain your house.  Here are a few maintenance tips:

Your house can not stay strong just by sitting in the same pew at the same church on Sunday.  You cannot mark church off of your list for the week and think DONE.  For a strong house to remain strong, it takes daily maintenance and a daily relationship with Jesus.  It take honesty and a willingness to ask the Lord what may be causing you to slowly rot by walking, talking and spending time with  Him.

A house can look nice, and have even have a well-manicured yard with blooming flowers and a great paint job, but if an unseen part is weak, it will fall. Sin is like that in our lives because often it is hidden.  We think nobody can see it, but sin is sin and no matter how great we look, it will spread infect us one day at a time, causing us to rot.

The house we saw that day did not just one day begin to fall over, and it was literally leaning over.  It was a gradual process.  It was one board at a time.  Obviously for a long time, nobody lived there.  The occupants moved out when it got bad.  The foundation eventually just gave away and everything above it, resting on it, depending on it, gave way! 

I am so thankful today to know that my foundation is Jesus.  He will never give way.  He is constant, strong, faithful, and wiling to hold me up.  He is the ROCK.  I accept that gift of grace; however, I also know that I must do my part to maintain my life by seeking the Lord daily.  Matthew 7:24 covers this well.  “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who builds his house on the rock.” 

This week, make sure you make time to hear His Word and get rid of anything, any sin that could make you fall.  If you have fallen, know your foundation in Jesus is strong and ask Him to pick you up.  With Him, you can rebuild.