And Yet It Did Not Fall

When Brian and I walked around the neighbourhood of the bed and breakfast where we stayed, I spotted a long, concrete, u-shaped building with a multitude of small, barred windows. At first I thought it was some kind of barbaric jail cell used in the past to confine criminals. I imagined stale bread, a tin cup of water, and black-and-white striped criminals. I guess I have seen too many old movies. But then I spotted the silhouette of two horses peeking out of two of the windows. I came to my senses and realized it was not a jail but a barn! Apparently, in the early twentieth century, US farmers built their barns out of concrete blocks. (In Canada, a hundred years ago, we made our barns out of timber — and not treated ones either. If any of them still remain, they are now dilapidated and useless, and only good for taking pictures of as a symbol of the past, although usually the beautiful scenery in the background makes up for their ugliness.)

As I admired the wisdom of US farmers in the early 1900s, God brought to my memory the story He told about the wise and foolish builders, and how important it is to build our lives on the Word of God, so that our lives won't come crashing down when the rains fall, the streams rise, and the winds blow.

"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.

The rain came down,

the streams rose,

and the winds blew

and beat against the house;

yet it did not fall

because it had its foundation on the rock.

But everyone who hears these words of mine

and does not put them into practise

is like a foolish man

who built his house on sand.

The rain came down,

the streams rose,

and the winds blew

and beat against the house,

and it fell with a great crash."

Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV)

Wisdom is preparing for our eternal future, so that no matter what happens in our world, we are safe and secure in the arms of God.