Through the storms

Matthew 7:24-27

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the 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 the 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.”

It rains doesn't it. In our life. We have great times of peace and joy where the sun is shining and all is right with the world, but then the rain comes.

Jesus teaches us that it's going to happen. A simple  and yet profound teaching. I thought about this twice this week. The first time was because of an actual storm and the second because of a family who suffered the loss of a son.  My best friend called to tell me the news and after I hung up the phone I cried and prayed for the family.  I have been through that loss. A few times.

As I went the next few days I mulled over and over the storms that I have been through and that if I didn't have a foundation built upon who Jesus I wondered what kind of person or situation I would be in. I kept thinking that it would have be a house that would constantly need rebuilding. Imagine for a minute that your own house or where you live, that if a storm hit that you had to keep rebuilding and rebuilding every time  a storm came. That would be crazy! I know that I would get sick of that pretty quick, but I would have to build something with an actual foundation, something of worth.   It would not be based off my own understanding and my own will. Which let's face it. My will power is pretty weak. I am thankful everyday that I have a relationship that's built upon the teachings of Jesus. It's pretty solid but it's in those moments of weakness though. In the storms that I cry out to God and he hears me.  I get to be held close by him.  Ps 34:17 "The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help and he rescues them from all their troubles."

It's interesting because in this moment of my pain, junk, and weakness God desires to be close to me. When I feel my least bit like loving others and pouring out is the moment God wants to pour in me. So don't worry if you don't have it all together. Jesus came to heal the sick and the broken. Cry out to him and he will rescue you. So in your pain and in the storm stop and just cry out.