Asher McMurray came west from Illinois to find land to begin a new life. The brave pioneer established a 160-acre homestead 1/4 mile north of the Arkansas river near Mount Hope Kansas in 1892. He and his wife Ettie wasted no time building their home. And so, the challenges of life on the prairie began surrounded by the flat plains complete with heat, cold, and a lot of wind. In 1898, their only child Elizabeth was born in the farmhouse. I knew her as Grandma Dilley. The homestead is still in the family to this day. Grandma lived to be 95, concluding her life right where in began.
When I was young, I would sit at the kitchen table next to the wood stove where Grandma would be peeling potatoes begging for just one more story. She had a keen memory and a gift for drawing me into the events ranging from relatives who fought in the Civil war (complete with family pictures) to life through the Great Depression and so much more. We have the musket my relative used in the civil war battles. The story is told that a belt buckle spared his life from the enemy’s musket round. I would long for details, fascinated by life in the Great Depression and Dust Bowl years when people pulled together, neighbor helping out neighbor as they navigated the tough times. I treasured those opportunities to listen and learn about moments in history through her eyes.
The house still stands on the McMurray/Dilley farm. When my grandmother talked with me about the house her daddy built, she repeatedly offered one observation I remember well: “Where most men use a single nail, my daddy used 3 nails.” That farmhouse has endured tornadoes, high winds, extreme hot and cold, ice storms and more. Given proximity to the Arkansas river, flooding was a reality. In the flood of 1973, I remember observing waters flowing around the foundation – the cellar was a pond. Yet it continues to stand filled with memories of family gatherings, holiday feasts, and shelter from the elements – a special place called home. The farmhouse endured because it was built on a solid foundation, able to withstand the impacts of nature for almost 132 years and counting.
Jesus had something to say about building a house on a foundation – one of the simplest and yet most powerful metaphors he shared. While the Two Foundations of Matthew 7:24-27 is contained in a children’s song, I would suggest that it contains a message critical for our lives, communicating more depth of meaning than the wisest of philosophers. It is easy to dismiss this metaphor as childish and obvious; that is until we start really staring into the implications of what Jesus taught and how it applies to our lives. There are a lot of influences in this world pulling us toward temporary thinking. And with that temporariness comes great uncertainty leaving us quite vulnerable. It only takes a tornado warning to remind us that we are not in control even as badly as we want to be. But there is One who is in control who calls us to spend time considering His teaching. He is, in fact, the only source of certainty in the presence of uncertainty.
God is challenging us to look a bit deeper into this message. I have lived over 6 decades, made a lot of mistakes, whined about how fast time goes by, chased the corporate ladder, not exactly always been the greatest role model yet here I am being challenged by God to learn a lesson. So, what is the message? We all are building what I will call our “life-house”. In this teaching, Jesus makes it really clear that each of us will choose to build on one of two types of foundations. And your choice has significant implications. Will it stand against the storms of life? That is the question to be answered.
As I climb near the summit of my journey in this life, I am deeply convicted of the ease with which we can be deceived into looking in all the wrong places for purpose, value, and yes for certainty. I am reminded of a concluding thought from one my Pastor’s sermons which has stuck with me for many years. When considering our life choices, our decisions regarding walking with God and weighing the value of such a pursuit, he said:
“You can make the choice to build your house on the foundation of this world and ignore what Jesus is saying. But then again, eternity is a really long time to be wrong.”
I am convinced of the value in pursuing Christ and if I get anything right in my life journey it will be reflected in my communicating the vital importance of walking with God, the only source of certainty in the presence of uncertainty. Please don’t miss it.
Let’s begin.
Reflection
- Read Matthew 7:13-28 for Context
- This is the conclusion to the great Sermon on the Mount complete with some teaching that should stimulate some serious introspection as Jesus builds to the Two Foundations metaphor.
- If someone were to ask why you think you are on the narrow way leading to life, how would you answer? [13-14]
- Perhaps you are not sure yourself which gate you are passing through. Our study will help address that uncertainty.
- I had a spiritual mentor who had a challenging declaration: “Your behavior bears out what you believe.” Jesus draws us to fruit examination as a means of determining your true heart. What does your behavior reflect? [15-19]
- To carry this a bit father, how would you classify “Good” fruit juxtaposed with “Bad” fruit.
- Finally, we come to perhaps the most troubling of these last teachings in verses 23-26. When I lived in Arizona we had two types of orange trees – real and imitation. The oranges were certainly indistinguishable to the general public. Only when you cut them open and tasted them would you know the difference. The men who came to Jesus certain of their position were shocked to hear His declaration: “I never knew you.” Their fruit was imitation; the motive of their hearts was revealed; the self-deception regarding their position with Christ was exposed. I’ve stared at these verses for a long time – do we have a true heart for Christ? [23-26]
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