Building on the Rock

"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 that 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 practice 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 that house, and it fell with a great crash."
Matthew 7:24-27

I enjoy weather.com, and for more than just weather.  My job preparation as a mail carrier depends greatly on the weather, but many times I visit the site just to read interesting stories.  I find their stories and pictures fascinating (albeit non-weather related most times).

This past week, I read about "9 Desolate Ghost Towns."  It was interesting to see areas once full of prosperity brought down to earth for one reason or another.  One intriguing example was Holland Island, formerly found in the Chesapeake Bay.  That's right, in the bay.  I'm sure we have all thought about owning or own little island at some time or another (even if as a child, when our imagination runs wild.)  What I found interesting about this former community is that the residents built their houses on eroding sand.  There was no rock on this island on which to build foundations, so the community of fisherman made due with clay.  The article states, quoting the Washington Post ""like other Chesapeake islands, [Holland Island] was made of silt and clay, not rock, so its land eroded readily."  The last house, it states, collapsed in 2010, bringing to end a community which at one time housed more than 360 people in 1910.  (See http://www.weather.com/travel/desolate-ghost-towns-20130618?pageno=9 for the full story and pictures.)

Now this story is more than fascinating because it has a direct parallel to our spiritual lives.  When I find myself depressed, angry or sad, many times I can directly correlate this to trying to do things in my life through my own efforts, and not through God's strength and power.  It is difficult, as we Christians do experience the same heartaches that those who do not believe do, to show and live Christ's example even through our troubles.  I get discouraged sometimes at the simplest things.  It is in these times that I find myself building on this sand and silt.  And sometimes, God needs to send the storm to bring us back to the realization that He and He alone should be our foundation.
God never promised we would be given a trouble-free life.  But we can lean on Him in times of trouble; He is our Rock.