Welcome!  Hymns have been and continue to be a real source of inspiration to me.  My desire in this blog is to share special hymns with my readers hoping that the words will minister to them, especially in times of great personal need.  If one of these hymns ministers to you, please take time to leave a comment so that I know that my blog is helping others as much as it helps me. Sometimes I will also provide a link where you can go to hear the hymn played.  So, please join me here each week and sing along as we praise God together.

Sunday, April 16, 2023

THE WISEMAN

          Sometimes songs which we learn as children are classics because they teach us important truths and often stick with us throughout our lives. Such is this one written in 1948 by Ann Omley.
          I thought of this song in October and November as I watched the devastation in Florida caused by hurricanes.  Homes and buildings built on the sand just crumbled into the ocean as the waves wiped away the sand on which they were built.  Expensive structures gone in minutes because of their foundations.  So sad!
          Jesus told a story about two men: one who builds his house upon a rock and another who builds his house upon sand. I'm sure you know which house weathers the storm. Jesus calls this builder wise. But the house built on the sand collapses during the storm, and the builder is dubbed foolish.                            
          A good foundation is obvious, but its importance can't be overemphasized. The strength of a building lies in its foundation. The main purpose of the foundation is to hold the structure above it and keep it upright. 
          In this parable, Jesus gives us some wise words about the foundation of our lives: "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)
          Our life foundation is crucial. We will face some storms in this life.  Sometimes the pressure to heed the world's advice and turn away from God's words hits with hurricane force. Today's culture attacks believers like a storm.  At times, even our own feelings bombard us inwardly to do the opposite of God's will. 
          But despite these tensions, the wise person will follow God's words as a result of trust and thankfulness. God will bless the one whose life is built upon the Rock, Jesus Christ. As we grow in trust and obedience, He will anchor our "house" in Him so that we are able to weather the storms. It is God who grows our hope and faith.
1.    The wise man built his house upon the Rock,
The wise man built his house upon the Rock,
The wise man built his house upon the Rock,
And the rains came tumbling down.
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
But the house on the Rock stood firm.
2.   The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
And the rains came tumbling down.
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
And the house on the sand fell flat.
3.   So build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ,
So build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ,
So build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ,
And the blessings will come down.
The blessings come down as your prayers go up,
The blessings come down as your prayers go up,
The blessings come down as your prayers go up,
So build your life on the Lord.
Listen to it here.  FOUNDATION

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