Founded on the Rock

On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?” Then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.” ‘Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!’ Matthew 7:22-27

I spent my childhood summers, making sandcastles with pails of hardpacked wet sand, decorated with dripped sand. A generation later, on the same beach, my daughters built sandcastles, and after them, our grandchildren. We dug moats to send water away from our castles, but the water always won. And those that weren't defeated by water, were stepped on by other children playing at being cruel giants. We learned early that sand always gives way and perfection cannot be kept. Love abides, as hard as rock and solid as the unmovable stone jetties that reached out in the ocean to hold in the sand.

Tender Creator, we live among shifting sands

the storms and violence of life overwhelm us

but you have promised to be our rock and stay

you keep us safe in every tumult that arises.

Help us to build our lives on your love

step by step, teach us to be anchored in you

day by day, let us strengthen our faith in prayer

so the world can be renewed by your constant love. Amen.