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. Matthew 7:25 ESV

Today’s verse is part of the story Jesus told of two neighbors: one had built on a rock; the other on sand. For both men, the weather was the same. Rain fell, flood waters rose, and the wind beat on their houses. Their two homes had the same windows and doors, same flooring, and even the same roof. The only difference was the foundation. One was laid directly on the sandy soil. It might have been a quick build, because everything was level, the footers were easy to dig and before you knew it that man’s home was finished. The builders of the second home, decided to dig down far deeper in that sandy soil until finally they hit sold rock. Then slowly, but surely, they built back up from that footing, to even reach ground level. Both neighbors seemed happy with their new homes. But then one morning, dark clouds rolled in, and thunder echoed in the distance. Both men headed home, shut the door, and covered the windows. Rain fell all day and that night, both men drifted off to sleep in their beds. But sometime during the night, something terrible happened. The river not far from their doorsteps began to rise and water flooded their homes, and the wind turned from a gentle breeze into a howling tempest. Both men and their families fled to higher ground to stay with friends. They all shivered through the night, wondering what the morning would hold. By dawn, the storm had passed and the two neighbors headed down the path to their street. The man whose foundation had been laid on the rock discovered quite a mess. Mud was everywhere, some of their clothing and furniture had been ruined by the water, but thankfully, their house was standing. Perhaps thinking that things weren’t so bad after all, the other man headed to his home. As he walked down the street and turned the corner, he gasped in shock as he saw the pile of loose boards, shingles, and other debris where their home had once proudly stood.

None of us skate through this life without a devastating storm or two. Jesus tells us that our outcome won’t be because of how much work we put in to building our homes. All that matters is whether we have put in our faith in Jesus not by where we attend church, but by whether we have built our foundation on the promises of God and trusted Jesus all through the storm.