Burning Down the House

Posted by Dion Todd April 30th, 2024 1,364 Views 20 Comments

"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and don't do the things which I say? Everyone who comes to me, and hears my words and does them, I will show you who he is like. He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it was founded on the rock. But he who hears and doesn't do, is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great." Luke 6:46 WEB.

Dad always warned us about playing with fire. But one day, my brother, who was three to four years old, got a hold of a pack of matches. He knew it was wrong, so he hid in the closet to play with them, sitting under the clothes hanging there.

It wasn't too long before the closet was on fire, and soon the entire house. By the time my mom noticed, it was too late. We all managed to get out, but the house burned to the ground, along with everything in it.

Dad was at work, and when he came home, he saw all of our belongings and the home he had built with his own hands, uninsured and in ashes. But he wasn't angry. He was so thankful we were ok that he hugged us all. Ken didn't play with matches much after that.

God's word is there to protect us, and it is for our safety that we follow His commandments. If you follow the Lord's guidance, you will have a good life. You may not be rich, maybe not famous, or perhaps you will have all that and more. Only He knows how much He can trust you with before it becomes an idol and steals your heart away.

When we walk in disobedience, we open up so many doors of failure and frustration that He wanted to spare us from experiencing. But we can have it our way if we choose.

Still, God isn't mad at you, no matter what you have done in the past. He will instantly forgive you, and He's glad you are ok. Learn from it, listen to Him, and try to do better next time. Obedience and discipline are vital parts of having a good life.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please forgive me for my sins and restore me. Please bring back the passion and the fire that I once had. Give me the grace to walk in obedience and help me to make the right decisions in my life. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!

Note: The Creation Photographer theme of the week is "May there always be laughter - May we always find joy" and is wide open for interpretation! Until we get our groups area going, we invite you to share your photos on the website home page. As always, if you have a prayer need, we are here for you! We and the prayer team are ready to lift you up at our private prayer page: RHM Prayer Network.