The House Founded on a Rock
DAY ELEVEN
PONDER THIS ENGRAVING
MEDITATE ON THESE VERSES
Romans 2:13 | James 1:22 | John13:17 | Ezra 6:3 | Proverbs 10:25 | 1 Corinthians 3:11 | Ephesians 2:20 | Job 22:15-16
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and beat upon that house, and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock. Matthew 7:25
POETIC REFLECTION
High on a rock, the wise man marks his plan,
Its deep foundations closely he would scan;
Though gentle zephyrs breath through summer skies,
He knows that storms wide-wasting may arise;
On solid base his building rises fair,
And points its turrets through the ambient air.
With tranquil joy, his eyes delighted, greet
The beauteous fabric furnished and complete;
In conscious safety makes it his abode,
His duty done, he leaves the rest with God.
But soon dark clouds o’er spread the troubled sky,
And soon is heard the voice of tempest high;
Deep rolls the thunder, rains in torrents pour,
And floods tumultuous beat with deafening roar.
Floods, rain, nor thunder, nor rude tempest’s shock,
Can harm the house––’tis founded on a Rock.
Not so the simpleton who built on sand,
And wrought his labor with penurious hand;
’Midst howling tempests, and loud thunder’s roar,
His house––it vanish’d, and was seen no more.
DEVOTION OF INTERPRETATION
A wise man desiring to build a house for himself and family, sees many very pleasant and romantic lots; he is tempted to choose a delightful situation, but he remembers that the country is often visited with violent storms, that hurricanes are frequent, and that the rivers frequently overflow their banks, and sweep away bridges, houses, cattle, and inhabitants, all together. This makes him cautious; he sacrifices what is merely ornamental for what is useful and essential. He fixes upon a rock for the site of his mansion. He builds in such a manner that his house looks like a part of the rock itself, it is so imbedded within its shelvings. When all is snug and complete, he enters his new dwelling, thankful that he has been enabled to finish it. In a little while, one of those storms come on so common to the country; the rains descend, the winds blow, the floods beat against the house, but it stands unmoved. All night the tempest lasts; at length morning comes; the son of wisdom opens the door and goes forth, like Noah when he left the ark after the waters of the deluge had abated. He looks around; all is desolation except his own house. At a little distance from him he discovers some of the fragments of his neighbor’s house. The foolish man had studied only ease and present convenience; he chose a showy place, but the foundation was sandy. The hurricane swept them all away together.
The house on the rock and its builder, is an emblem of the man who hears the Word of God and keeps it. He makes the Word of God and keeps it. he makes the Word of God a ladder by which he climbs to heaven. Beginning at repentance, he goes on to faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, then to holiness; thus he mounts from faith to faith, till finally he reaches glory.
Observe, it is not the person who hears, or understands, or remembers or believes, merely, the Word of God but the Doer; that is, the prudent of wise man. He fastens on the Rock of Ages; Christ is his foundation where, in obedience to the word, he has fled for refuge; hence, he is protected against all the storms of earth and hell.
”To obey is better than sacrifice, to hearken than the fat of rams.” The Word of God is compared to see, which if received in good ground, beareth much fruit. As the see requires that the ground should be prepared, watered, weeded, etc., so the Word requires that it should be received with attention and nourished by meditation, much prayer, and faith. No one can enter the kingdom of heaven unless he is a disciple unless he bringeth much fruit. He, and he alone that doeth the will of God shall abide forever.
A person having just returned from church, was met with the following exclamation: “What i, is it all done”No, by no means.” was the prompt reply; “it is all said, but not all done”
For not the hearers of the law just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. Romans 2:13.
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only… a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. James 1:22-25
If ye know these things, happy are ye; ye do them. John 13:17.
Barber, John Warner, 1798-1885. Bible Looking Glass: Reflector, Companion and Guide to the Great Truths of the Sacred Scriptures, and Illustrating the Diversities of Human Character, and the Qualities of the Human Heart.
Philadelphia, Bradley, Garretson & Co., 1861