All Other Ground is Sinking Sand

     There’s been many times in my life where I’ve been disappointed. Dare I say angry, and resentful of what didn’t happen, what fell apart, and what turned out differently than expected. I’ll be one of many to admit that turning to the Lord brought a level of persecution, resistance, and weariness that I’d not imagined was possible, but by God’s grace I continue to grow and encounter His love. Growing up Baptist, I understood that God had done what He planned to do and we were on our own, with the help of a “Holy Ghost” who was mysterious and convicting, helping us trudge through a mediocre life and make it to Heaven where there would no longer be tears and pain. I recently heard a podcast where the speaker said, “Baptists understand suffering. We lock in and are committed to a thing even after 5 years of it being buried in the ground”, and I laughed at the honesty of that statement. If there’s anything the Lord has been strengthening and refining in me, it has been perseverance and integrity amid loss, refining, and the unknown.

     When I think of “integrity”, I envision a large wall made of stone which has been tested through wind, waves, erosion, and invasion. Built intentionally and slowly, integrity is FOUNDATIONAL to our walk with the Lord. We must be able AND willing to endure the storms which come to us during the many seasons of our lives.

     This leads me to the question that I believe the Lord is asking many of us in this hour.

     What is your hope in?

     Last night I was researching kingdoms, pondering on what was underneath the beautiful pillars and buildings of many ancient castles and palaces. I found that most that have been left standing through the centuries were built on hills, directly laid upon bedrock which provided a stable base to build upon. Christ mentions in Matthew 5; “a city set upon a hill cannot be hid”, and we are called as ambassadors of Heaven to be firmly established on the Rock of our salvation, Who gives us strength, integrity, hope and most of all, love.

     We admire the beauty of these kingdoms and castles of old. We gasp at the beauty of the windows and pillars, the battlements, and soaring peaks, imagining what the gardens and courtyards would have looked like in bloom. When you think of castles and palaces, kingdoms, and cities, do you think of the stone, cement, or ground beneath it which gives it stability?

     We’ve been taught in the western world to put our hope in our finances, our families, our friends, our possessions and even our processes. I believe the Lord used the word “what” instead of “who” to reveal the nature of our hearts, that we look to the things of this world and the things we’ve accomplished and are working on, rather than the One who’s made the way for us through His sacrifice. The many things we’ve made our saviors, from bank accounts and 401k’s to family members, certificates and accolades were the very things that Jesus laid down to pursue God’s greater purpose. He had no doctorate in theology, or retirement plan. He laid aside His family and endured their familiarity and dishonor to redeem His people. He traveled without transportation and without a plan of where to sleep at night, trusting the Holy Spirit to lead Him wherever the Lord willed. He allowed the man who’d later betray Him to oversee the small money pouch He and his students traveled with. Why? I believe it was to show us that we cannot serve to masters, both God and money (Matthew 6:24). He could have placed it in the care of another who could be trusted, but He trusted His Father more.

     I woke up from a dream this morning and the only thing I could recall was the word “sand”. I was reminded of the scripture of the house built upon the rock;

     And the rain fell, and the floods and torrents came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. -Matthew 7:25

     I pray that you drive your stakes deeper into the Rock and build upon the One who is everlasting. That you will seek the Kingdom that cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28), and that your hope rests in the One who is faithful.

     -The Breaker Bride