Reflections on the Beach: The Sand Castle Life

 

Reflections on the Beach

Week Five

"The Sand Castle Life"

Focus Passage: Matthew 7:24-27 and Luke 6:46-49

Bible Reading: 1st Corinthians 2-8

sand crab

      One of my favorite things to do at the beach as a child was building sand castles.  Each of us can remember totting our plastic buckets (mine was blue) and shovels thinking that we were going
to create a piece of architectural art.  We sat down in the semi wet sand, far enough from the tide and started to fill our pales.  We patted the wet sand down to make sure it would still take shape after lifting the bucket.  An occasional sand crab would distract us from the task.  We would gather the most beautiful of shells to decorate our castle.  I personally specialized in water engineering, also known as moat building.  I always loved when the ocean water rushed into the moat and surrounded my sand city.  Sadly, the inevitable would always come, the tide would get closer and closer, and eventually my castle would succumb to the raging water.  The sand castle city is designed to look beautiful, but it was never created to last.

     As a dad I get to build sand castles with my kids.  My kids are far more talented then I was and their engineering skills are superior to mine.  But as we play in the sand my mind goes to the parable of the two foundations.  Luke writes about this in Luke 6:46-49.  In this story Jesus compares our life to being built on one of two very different foundations.  The first foundation is built on the rock, a solid and reliable surface.  A raging storm comes but the house on the rock stood firm.  Then another man decided to build his house on ground without foundation, aka sand.  A storm came and that house collapsed.  What does each foundation represent?  The rock's foundation represents a person who hears the Word of God and acts in obedience, the sand represents a person who hears the Word of God and disobeys.  Let's look at what's similar between these two builders: they both desire to build and they both hear how to build.  The problem isn't the desire nor the plan, the problem is the reaction.  Each of us are currently building  our lives on some type of foundation.  If we are following the Lord in obedience then our life will be built on the rock and it will last.  But woe to the person who clearly hears God's direction and chooses disobedience.  Their life is built on sinking sand and like the castle by the sea, it will not last.  Obedience to God's Word, trusting Christ alone is the only foundation to build our life upon.  It is not a mere profession of salvation but a possession of salvation.  We are dug deep into Jesus, we are rooted into His life.  When the storm comes, when judgment arises, will your house stand firm?

Reflections on the Road:

The foundation upon which we build our life is of the utmost importance.  Have you obeyed by coming to Jesus with repentance and faith?  Or are you merely making a religious profession without anchoring your faith into Christ alone?  Your foundation matters, it matters for eternity.