Storms are not generally anticipated with a demeanor of eager giddiness. Both storms that occur in nature, and those that present themselves in our lives. But storms are purifying, and they reveal truth. Take, for instance, the picture Jesus gives us of the two houses. One built on solid rock and having a firm foundation, and the other built on sand. From the street, these two homes would look quite the same, indistinguishable in fact without further inspection. The pivotal difference is not revealed until the moment of crisis. The storm exposes at the most foundational level the validity of that which the homes are both built on. One collapsing under its false claim of being structurally sound, and the other standing against the thrashing of the wind and rain. The point I am getting at is that in order to discern what is true and standing, sometimes we need a storm. Those trying to sell the home built on sand will have a rough go at it after the storm, as it's masquerade has been unequivocally revealed to all the families currently on the market for real estate.
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." Matt 7: 24-27
Aliken the storm mentioned above to the experience of buying a Christmas tree. Bear with me. If you happen to visit an old Christmas tree farm to enjoy the process of cutting down your own tree you might see an oddly elongated contraption that's sole purpose is to shake the tree. After having been cut down the tree is placed horizontally on the contraption and with the start of an engine is shaken. The purpose of this is to remove all the dead pine needles from within the tree so that only the living, green, attached ones remain - saving your vehicle, and home from a plethora of dead pine needles which will fall out upon any disturbance. Once again we see that a (storm, struggle, or general shaking up of things) tends to distinguish dead from living, truth from facade.
This realization has given me great hope and contentment. For the shaking that we see all around us in the uncertainty of the times, the political divide, and the unruliness of 'scientific fact' is all happening under God's authority - And when God shakes things, he does so to reveal to us how those things which can not be shaken will remain. So I say let the needles fall.
"See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth but also heaven.” Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain." Hebrews 12: 25-27
amen, my man. let the needles fall. great perspective. the image of those taking the foolish shortcut and bargain of sand foundations trying to sell their dilapidated home AFTER the storm is powerful. it's easy to sell on the front end, but after things are shaken up, after the storm hits, it's impossible to continue to keep selling that lie. anything that can't go on forever... won't. everything is heading somewhere and eventually, it's going to get there. even so, come Lord Jesus. maranatha!
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