Need a little heaven on earth as you walk into the week? Wisdom given by Jesus is an invitation into the kingdom of God on earth. It is experienced as we put it into practice. This might be a good week to check your foundation.
Therefore everyone who hears these words of mind 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 rock. – Matthew 7:24-25
No one wants their house to fall. We don’t want our families to fall apart either. And we don’t want our lives to be meaningless. Quite the opposite! We want a place to be safe and well cared for. We want love and community that brings encouragement and joy into our daily lives. We need to know our lives are with purpose and meaning.
Jesus is offering a powerful teaching about life as God wants us to live it, (Matthew 5-7) https://bit.ly/46rnHq6 that culminates with this statement:
“…everyone who hears these words of mine and put them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
And then he mentions the storms of life. Because there are storms. Whether they come toward us like the rain above, or something that rises and surrounds us like a river, or a wind that blows from a direction we least expected – there will be storms. Life is full of them.
Even though I’m familiar with this teaching in Matthew, I never cease to be amazed and sometimes even shocked at this way Jesus encourages us to be in the world. It’s not “normal” at all. This is a very different way of doing life.
This way of being in the world directs attitudes, actions, relationships, business, discernment, spiritual practices, economy, and even prayer. The teaching is packed full of wisdom for life. No wonder he says, “enter through the narrow gate”; this is a special road to walk. It is even hard to find, which is why we are unable to do it on our own.
We often find ourselves asking for divine assistance. We especially seek God’s guidance to navigate the context of our lives right now. There is a lot of disruption and upheaval. People are grabbing news or priorities from a one-line social media post or the most recent AI suggestion. We all want to “do the right thing” but seem to be struggling with finding what that “right thing” is in a world where our context changes so quickly.
Our mental health is more vulnerable than it has ever been, and spiritual places of rest have, in many cases, become full of the tension in our world. We need God’s help. We need wisdom that is beyond us. We need sacred, ancient teaching that doesn’t fade with changing contexts.
The teaching in Matthew 5-7 offers us that depth. It is humbling and invites us into a space of surrender. Jesus spells out some very practical wisdom. He reorders priorities and clarifies what may have been misunderstood. The way he brings this to a close tells us how important it is: we are not going to withstand the storms of this life without this wisdom. It is not there to burden us or harm us. This is way to live into the abundant life even during the storms and wind and rising waters. There is a way to stay on solid ground.
If we want to create a checklist, we can make one from Matthew 5-7. There is a caution with that, however, because the Holy Spirit doesn’t abide by our checklists. The practice of surrender and seeking divine guidance undergirds everything. Still, if I go through these chapters and make some notes for my journey through life, I’m going to be fully engaged in the simple obedience of practicing these teachings.
It does give me guidance for how I do my work today. It does help me prioritize how I step into this week of Thanksgiving celebrations. It offers a reset and a realignment to what is important in the kingdom of God. This teaching actually invites us to step into the kingdom of God.
As we practice what is here, we experience glimpses of God’s kingdom coming to earth as it is in heaven. Coming into our hearts and into our lives. If you’re feeling as though you’re in need of a bit more of heaven in your life, perhaps finding just a verse or two from Matthew 5-7 will usher that blessing into your heart. What better foundation to hold you up as you begin a new week? You can read the whole text here: https://bit.ly/46rnHq6
Holy God, we are grateful for your teaching. We know you can see us and you already know there are many days we feel overwhelmed by life. It’s easy for us to get distracted, and in instances we may even feel disillusioned. We set up new rules and guardrails, they eventually fail. We grasp for help in so many places and sometimes forget that you have already provided a way for us. You teach us a different way to live. We trust you and we want to walk in a way that leads to life. Help us to let go and ask for your help. We need a little heaven to come to earth. We welcome you in whatever way you reveal yourself to us this week. We love you and we trust you completely. Thank you for giving your wisdom. Thank you for creating us with capacity to experience the fullness of your grace. We are watching for a little heaven on earth today. We know you are already here. Amen.
Life in the Deep End 