Don Thomas

I was returning from Cody on Sunday in the wake of the storm that blew through Powell. 

As I turned off of Coulter I saw many streets were turned into raging rivers. Kayaks had replaced cars.  Huge black trash bins were haphazardly scattered across the landscape while downed trees, snapped at the trunks, blocked sidewalks. Thankfully, our house only received minor flooding in the basement. Sadly, many of you were hit much harder.

Did you know that God brings these storms of life to grab our attention and teach us spiritual lessons that we might otherwise miss? See if you can find Jesus’ big lesson for us from Sunday’s rains, floods, and winds.   

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it” (Matthew 7:24-27).

The lesson here is a striking contrast between two classes of people. There are those who hear what God says and do nothing and those who hear God and do what he says.

The one who practices what he hears is called a “wise man” who built his house on a rock. When God calls him to repent of sins, believe in Christ and live a holy life, he obeys. 

Those who ignore God’s call to repent, believe and live a holy life are likened to a “fool” who builds his house on a heap of sand.

What is the result? When the storms of life suddenly blow in, the one is swept away while the other remains standing.

The hearer only will find that he built his life on sand. When floods of sickness, poverty, and life’s adversities hit, he will be washed away.

The one who does the will of God will find that his life is built on the unmovable rock, Jesus Christ! The religion that can withstand life’s trials is the only true religion.

The storm has passed. The cleanup continues. May God help us not to miss the eternal lesson that he brought us from the winds, rains and floods. Are you a hearer only or are you a doer of God’s word?  Can you hear God’s call to turn from your life of sin, believe in Jesus Christ and follow his command to deny yourself and pickup your cross and follow him?

The foolish person is the one where the word of God goes in one ear and out the other. His life is built on a foundation of sand. The wise man hears and heeds God’s word to come to Christ as savior and lord. His life is built on the solid rock, Jesus Christ. 

You have yet to experience the greatest of life’s storms. Suddenly, at the least expected moment, the enemy of death will blow away your life. Those whose lives were built on the foundation of sand will be swept away into judgment and wrath. Those whose lives were built on the rock will firmly stand victoriously in heavenly delight. May God find you a hearer and doer of his word.

(Don Thomas is the pastor of Trinity Bible Church.)