January 29, 2021 – Click here to listen
Anyone who knows me readily understands that I have a deep love for the sea. I deem it to be one of God’s most expressive and interesting creations. To me it’s absolutely beautiful when it’s angry and raging or peaceful and glassy calm.
Yesterday a cold front began its journey through the Keys and with it 20-25 knot winds. I went down to my boat to check on it and the wind was gusting so hard I could hardly walk along my dock without getting blown off. My boat was rocking and rolling in the waves and being tossed about putting a tremendous strain on the ropes that were securing it. Just the day before it was glassy calm and a remarkably peaceful scene.
In a word the sea is restless. Even on peaceful days it constantly churns and roils pounding the shoreline as it has for eons eventually pulverizing rocks into sugar beaches. And just when the beautiful beaches are at their prime and we are rejoicing in their beauty, like a schizophrenic the sea suddenly transforms itself into an untamed beast and angrily devours them and tears them asunder with giant powerful waves driven by raging winds crashing ashore and pulling its gorgeous sand back deep into the ocean.
As I study the Old Testament and the history of civilization it reminds me of the sea. Humankind is restless. Nothing remains the same for long and like the sea the world is in a constant state of agitation. Great civilizations enjoy their peace and prosperity for a moment in time, but right when they reach their prime are utterly destroyed by the angry beast and god of this world Satan.
It begs the question of why so many put their trust in the world and the things in it. God is unchanging. He is the one stable thing in all of creation, He is the same today as a thousand years ago or will be a thousand years from now. He is the God of love, peace, joy, prosperity, calm seas and sugar beaches. He is a solid rock!
We all have choices in this world. We can choose our Almighty God who is our rock and salvation and His promise of paradise, or we can choose the restless pursuit of the temporary pleasures of this world that are destined for destruction.
I choose God, and though it is not always an easy path, it is the only path I want to follow. I often wonder why folks build their homes right on the sandy beaches of our coastlines. The sea will eventually destroy them, but the pleasure of living so close seems to outweigh the threat of destruction.
It reminds me of the three little pigs. The first little pig was very lazy. He didn’t want to work at all and he built his house out of straw. The second little pig worked a little bit harder but he was somewhat lazy too and he built his house out of sticks. Then, they sang and danced and played together the rest of the day.
The third little pig worked hard all day and built his house with bricks. It was a sturdy house complete with a fine fireplace and chimney. It looked like it could withstand the strongest winds. And it did. The first two pigs houses did not stand when the wolf came and blew them down but the other pig, well, his house held up just fine. Build your home on the rock of Jesus and you will be just fine.
Matt. 7:24
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
Have a great weekend and go to church this Sunday!