A few days ago, I caught a glimpse of a special airing on The History Channel about dams breaking. The few moments of the broadcast that I saw showcased a dam that had broken in the Midwest, flooding the nearby national park. The ranger and his family lived in the park and they completely lost their home, narrowly escaping death. As the camera panned over the area, all one could see was a smooth concrete slab where the house used to stand. As the family dredged up difficult emotions about the event, I thought about the fact that although the house was a total loss, the foundation was intact.

This got me to thinking about my own foundation. At the end of His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus likened a man who built his house upon the rock as wise because when the storms came, the house stood firm. In contrast, the foolish man built his house upon the sand and the storms demolished it, much like the dam break demolished this family's home (Matthew 7:24-27).

"Storms," such as sickness, addictions, financial trouble, death of a loved one, etc., can wreak havoc on someone's life, and literally shatter it to pieces. But if they have a good foundation, based on the Word of God, they will survive and will likely be stronger in character (James 1:2-4). Will my foundation stand? It will as long as I have faith in my Savior, and do His will. Storms expose the weaknesses of your house, but your obedience to God's gospel will give you a foundation that can stand no matter what assails you.

- The Gospel Teacher, 2/14/16