“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.”
- Matthew 7:26
Back in 2021, we studied the concept of being a Wise Builder in our faith by listening and obeying God's Word. When we build our faith on a strong foundation, we can withstand life's challenges. Conversely, when we build houses on unreliable structures such as sand, it does not matter how beautiful or incredible the home is, the house is at risk of crumbling and damage because it is not supported by solid ground.
Today we are exploring deeper in this theme as we focus on the theme of listening. As Christians, we may nod and generally agree that we should 'listen' to God. But how many of us hear the God's words, then fail to put his Words into action? Sometimes we go to church on the Sabbath, or attend our small group bible study, and are filled with God's presence. Then when we leave, we forget the lessons and go about our life until we are reminded the next week. In between, we fail to put God's lessons into practice, or we only do so half-heartedly or only some of the time.
Consider the journey of an athlete. If an athlete is preparing for a competition, with the hopes of winning, it is not adequate for the athlete to just hear to the coach on what has to be done for training. If the athlete does not practice or train daily and diligently, consistently and relentlessly, the athlete's body will not be ready for competition. On the day of the competition, the athlete may be prone to injury, will not have the stamina to withstand the challenges of the competition, and will likely have difficulty not only winning, but completing the requirements of the competition.
If you have ever built a sand castle by the waters, you would know that even with the best efforts to pack the sand, with a strong wave, it can easily disintegrate the shape and form of the sand castle. Life is relentlessly sending wind and waves our way. Build your foundation in faith on solid ground by not only listening to God, but by following through with the appropriate actions. Put your faith into practice.
Reflection: What has God been telling you to do lately? How can you put his Words into action?
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For our Christian Calm Radio devotional this week, we revisit Matthew 7 to consider how important it is to build our faith on a strong foundation, for our theme of listening to God. Christian Calm Radio supports your journey through faith with our blogs and music channels, which includes traditional hymns, contemporary worship, and instrumental music.