Am I building Sandcastles or am I Set Free by a new Reality

When we were at Sanibel in April as a family I noticed this sandcastle on the beach that someone worked so hard to build. It was incredible! Each morning when we would set up our chairs for the day I noticed that it was still standing and I would watch to see who built this sandcastle. After a few days I thought I better get a picture of it because I don't know if it will be here tomorrow.
I began to think of Jesus Words and His teaching about the kind of foundation we are building a house or our lives on in Matthew. Matthew 7:24-27 -
“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”


After I took a few pictures I kept my eye on this sandcastle, wondering how long it would last. I noticed other people walking on the beach, taking pictures and admiring it. Then the tides began to change and the water began flowing closer to this sandcastle. I watched as the water began very gently to flow around the castle melting away the walls.


I felt my heart twinge, thinking of the time and work that was put into this sandcastle. I began to think of the person, people, kids or family that maybe labored over this all day. I felt sad to watch it begin to get washed away.


We went on one of our long walks and when we came back it was gone....it looked as though it was never there. In The Message - "These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock. "But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards."

When I came across these pictures the other day I began thinking about my life. What have I built my life upon? I have discovered that I have built my life on many things.....Mark, my girls, ministry, service, friends, opinions of others, perceptions of people and pleasing people....often the performance without substance. Anything that I build my life upon other that Christ as my foundation and the very source of my existance is not only faulty but will crash and be washed away on the shores of this life.

Listen to this from Oswald Chambers....." Before we choose to follow God's will, a crisis must develop in our lives. This happens because we tend to be unresponsive to God's gentler nudges. He brings us to a place where He asks us to be our utmost for Him and we begin to debate. He then providentially provides a crisis where we have to decide - for or against. That moment becomes a great crossroads in our lives. If a crisis has come to you on any front, surrender your will to Jesus absolutely and irrevoably."

My man did a great job on Sunday with the story of Philemon, Onesimus, Paul and YOU (ME)
check it out at http://www.hopeinocala.com/ with the teaching title - TABLEreconciliation part 2 on 7/18/10. It was a powerful teaching from Philemon & Colossians 1:21-23.

More later......