Transparent Christian Magazine

Monday, April 13, 2009 at 3:36pm

I was sitting and writing the other day and had no words. For those of you who follow me closely or are near me at any moment, you have probably picked up on my inability to close my mouth. Curse and a blessing, but I like to say my glass is half full.
-
-
-
So there I am…sitting in my living room, with all the blinds drawn open, candles burning a clean linen scent (I like fresh laundry) and tornado sirens spiraling around my house. I submersed myself in “writer’s mode.” Coffee in hand, brow bent, storm raging, I was ready to write a best seller.

And so I sat.

I could feel words boil up and over but never past the tip of my tongue. I was growing tense with all the prose I was going to spill, but it never came. For almost an hour I sat there, tapping my toes and thumb warring with myself. In desperation, I ran downstairs and plugged in my Les Paul, hoping I would somehow be filled with clever analogies and witty banter. Nothing.

Frustrated, I prayed.

Here’s what I gained…

Life happens in God’s timing. There are no situations we can put ourselves in that yield the wisdom He has to offer. There is no amount of work that you or I can do that will gain even one ounce of goodness unless it’s through Him.

As I sat there, surrounded by thunder that shook the foundations in my home, God painted a beautiful story in my mind.

Here is what he showed me…

Imagine two houses being built in the same valley. One builder begins above the rock, overlooking a ravine. The other builder saves his labor and begins in the shallow bottom of a wrinkle in the Earth.

The man who began building on the rock spends hours more in physical labor, bringing lumber up the hillside. The man in the valley, on the other hand, finishes early and settles in.

As a storm approaches, both men prepare their shutters, and spend time sealing each corner to ensure that no rain can enter.

Lightning strikes on either side, rains pour like an angry temptress and winds beat like a cruel fist. The house built on the weak soil in the valley is destroyed like balsa wood and scattered below the ravine. The house founded on the rock withstands the storm.

Here’s what I think He was trying to say to me.

I know that life is difficult. I know that making big decisions is hard. My heart goes out to you if you feel as though it’s getting harder to stand.

When storms come our way, they can rock the foundations of our faith. They can shake so hard and push so deep that it can feel like our lives will fall apart like the balsa wood. They can bring floods that make us feel like any energy we have goes into keeping our heads above water.

Jesus said that the way of a Christian was narrow and difficult. I think he was talking about the path that leads to our home. The energy and faith it takes to carry log after log up a ravine is extremely tiresome.

What I’m here to tell you is that no matter how hard life gets, when you put your faith in Him time and time again, and carry your cross up that hill over and over, you stand to see another day. You overcome and build a stronger house. The longer that house stands, and the more you climb the ravines in your life, the bigger that house gets. The bigger that house gets, the more room you have to offer shelter to those who never learned to build on a strong foundation. Eventually, your house grows to become the light on the hill that Christ spoke of… It cannot be hidden and beckons as a lighthouse to those who have been ravaged by the storms in our lives.

For more, Read Matthew Chapters 6 and 7.

Josh