Consistently Consistent

This verse translated in the new living translation says, ‘stand firm and let nothing move you,’ as you continue to work for the Lord. We work now during the day because we know that the night season comes when we cannot work. Everything that God has entrusted to us here is a part of our God given assignment. Every relationship, our marriages, children and careers are an investment which we have been entrusted with to work towards eternity. Whatever we do, who we are and every aspect of our lives represent Christ as we work to advance the kingdom of God.

Jesus shared the parable about the wise man who hears his words and does them being like a man whose house was built on a 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” (Matthew 7:25). When we are firmly built up on the word of God, the storms of life will not cause us to stumble and fall. The person who hears the words of God and does not do them is like a foolish person who built their house on 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” (Matthew 7:27).

It is trying times that reveal what we are made of and determine what we have built our house upon. A man trying to reinforce his house during a storm is a bit late in his preparation. The foundation and the make up of his house should have already been secure enough to withstand the storm. We become solid and secure in the word of God and allow the word to take root in our hearts. The enemy can attack someone who is firmly planted in God, but his strategies will not work for too long against you.

Our love for God and our devotion to him should not change based on the circumstances around us. God needs to know that he can trust us to worship him as much when the storms are raging as when we are being blessed. If we can only praise God when things are going well then our salvation is based on what God can do for us and not in our love for God. We have to grow and develop strong faith which gives God the confidence to know that he can trust us to abide in him always. Trials should draw us closer to God because we know that only God can help and deliver us.

“But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame” (Isaiah 50:7).

A.P.-Y.