Day 2 – House of cards

“When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards.” Matthew 7:27 (MSG)

I fondly remember Sunday afternoons at my Grandmother’s house when she taught all her grandchildren to build houses out of her playing cards. This little informal “competition” normally followed lunch served with love and a stern warning to “eat all your food or you’ll get no pudding!” Being the youngest, my card house was usually the first to come tumbling down to the oak table top. I just never could get it higher than the second level, letting my impatience get the better of me for not taking the time to make sure the foundation is correct.

The home you live in is built from a lot of components that, on their own, are not as strong as combined in the structured unit making up your home. A brick is just a brick. Add a little cement and a few more bricks and you have a wall! Look around your home and think of the individual elements holding the structure upright. Brick, cement, glass, wood, and metal. If one element should fail, the whole thing will come tumbling down just like my little house of cards. These may be material things but think of your family structure. Each person has an individual role in keeping your house upright for the Lord, and yes, if one should fail, the whole family structure can tumble down.

“Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.” Matthew 16:18

Jesus didn’t choose the arcutectrual masterpiece of the temple in Jerusalem as the foundation for the House He had to build, he chose a person: Peter. Jesus, Himself is referred to as the Cornerstone. (1 Peter 2:7-8) Failing is inevitable because of our humanity but when we build our house on the Cornerstone who is Jesus, He is the foundation keeping us upright. A strong foundation in Christ builds a strong house that serves the Lord.

You do not just throw away something valuable to the structure of your home, you repair it. Are you willing to just turn your back on a family member because they failed according to your expectation or do you help to repair the relationship and cement them back onto the foundation of Jesus?

Prayer: Father, I admit that my house is not perfect and that I sometimes do not see the immeasurable value of a family member and only see the imperfections and failings. Open my eyes to see each person for who they are in You and why You chose them to be part of the structure building our house to serve You. Give me wisdom and guidance to forgive and repair broken relationships so that the house stands secure on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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