Have you ever lived in a house that was getting a new roof? For the last two weeks the rhythmic pounding of the roofers started each morning by 8am. On occasion an exceptionally loud bang would startle me. Today is Sunday and I am happy to be able to hear the ticking of the wall clock and my husband’s voice from the next room. Oh, the things we take for granted.
On August 24th, 1992, Category 5 Hurricane Andrew made landfall in Florida. Twenty-five thousand homes were completely destroyed and another 100,000 were damaged. The Florida Building Code was revamped in the wake of that hurricane and went into effect in 2002.
Our home was built in 1994 and the roof was not storm rated. We wanted our roof to comply with all the “High Wind Application” code requirements, so we would feel safe in the event of a hurricane. That meant – getting a new roof.
As my husband and I live through this renovation and daily donut and pizza runs for the workers – who are amazing by the way – Matthew 7:24-27 comes to mind. It is the passage in which Jesus speaks about the “Wise and Foolish Builders.”
Jesus had been traveling throughout Galilee teaching and preaching the good news of His Father’s heavenly kingdom. At the end of the day, He put a fine point on His teaching when He said,
24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on a rock.
26 “But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
None of us want a poorly built roof over our head that the rain and wind can tear off. Similarly, we want to be “wise builders” and to make sure our life itself is built securely upon God’s expectations for each of us. It’s not enough to simply “hear” the Word of Jesus. He clearly tells us, we need to “live” His teachings if we are to weather the storms of daily life.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. Psalm 46:1
(Picture credit to Unsplash.com – not my roof but what it sounds like!!)
