Life is tedious at best sometimes and often filled with challenges that seem to overwhelm the efforts of the most noble. Uncertainty will face many and doubts will cause multitudes to live in fear of the unknown. Self-help books line the shelves in the thousands and television programs abound with help being offered from all corners of the philosophical world to give man direction. What people want most is the pursuit of life and happiness and the ideals of a perfect world. Few find it and many more struggle a lifetime to find a sprinkling of truth to help them understand their self-worth.

Man's struggle is like trying to build a house in a marshy swamp. There is no solid foundation and the foundation that exists is impermanent existing at the mercy of the elements. When a strong waved crushes against the house or a torrent of rain beats upon it there is nothing to keep it stable and it will be destroyed. Life is the same way. Lives are built upon the marshy swamp of man's theology that has no foundation and cannot survive the storms of life. Jesus Christ came to show man how to find life that can be built upon a solid foundation to resist the tempest of life.

"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say? Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great" (Luke 6:46-49). Jesus offers man a way to build his life upon a foundation that is strong and resistant to the elements of life. As with any building there must be a pattern and the construction must be according to a code.

The pattern of life Jesus offers is to seek His guidance, listen to His words and then (most important) do the will of the Son of God. Jesus said of Himself, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). When our lives are directed by Jesus the "way" and directed by Jesus the "truth" then we will find Jesus the "life". Coming to the Lord, hearing His words and doing them will give us the firm foundation that will withstand the floods of time and the streams of doubt. As the Lord illustrated our lives will be likened to a house whose foundation was first dug deeply in the earth and placed upon a rock for security and safety. No matter what comes upon us in life we will be able to stand.

So many in life hear the words of Jesus and do nothing! They are like those who would build their houses upon the sand or the earth without foundation. When the trials of life come they fall apart - "and the ruin of that house was great." They are without hope, without love, without anything to hold on too. How sad. Jesus offers His way as a way to live life with answers - not without trials - but answers to those trials. No other way can be found among men that will give such hope.

Jesus Christ is the answer! His words are not just to be heard but to be followed. Hearing the words of Jesus is not enough. James writes, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (See James 1:22-25). Coming to Jesus, hearing His words and doing them will build your life on a solid foundation (Colossians 2:6-7).

Kent Heaton

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