Years ago I lived on a beach front property. The front had a nice flat section that was retained approximately 1.5 metres above the sand level. The neighbour's wall was very similar and, in all intent, looked to me to be more secure as it was about half a metre lower. From anyone's view the outward appearance of these two walls would be the same.
However, like in life, storms do come, revealing what things are built on.
In this case a big storm came one night. The waves were hitting the wall and blowing five metres into the air, in the morning all the sand was gone right down to the bedrock. The damage to my wall was a couple of boards knocked off; But the neighbour's wall was completely gone including three metres of their section. The storm revealed that their posts only went down to the bedrock and his wall was built on sand.
It was close to the rock, but not one with the rock. My posts went down into the bedrock and were cemented into it. My wall was “one with the rock.”
Matthew 7:26 says, “and everyone who hears these sayings of Mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand”.
Jesus is coming back for His bride, not a friend or fiancée, but His Bride.
Ephesians 5:31b, “and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh”.
Christians need to have a personal relationship with Jesus. More importantly to abide in Him.
John 15:4, “Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”
My neighbour's wall was built on sand, it was close to a relationship with the bedrock as it sat close to or on top of it. However, it didn't endure the storm as it didn't abide in the bedrock.
True believers dig deep to abide in Jesus.
I suppose, in any church when looking at the congregation's outward appearance everyone looks quite similar. However, there could be a huge difference among them, just like in the case of me and my neighbours' retaining wall.
To be ONE WITH JESUS one has to firstly start a relationship with Him, to date Him.
Like dating in the natural not all relationships which people enter into result in marriage. To move the relationship from dating to marriage it takes both partners' effort and to be fully committed. It involves digging deep on a daily basis by investing your time and energy into them, endeavouring to get to know them better, working on becoming the best you can be and showing they come first in your life by your commitment to them.
Jesus proved His commitment to you by been obedient to the cross.
In Matthew 25:1-12 it states there are wise and foolish virgins.
In the case of the retaining walls, the wise dig deep into the Rock to become “One with Jesus”, the foolish do not.
As men, we are firstly responsible for our own salvation, but more essentially, as the head of our house we need to build a solid foundation by being 'ONE' with 'THE ROCK', setting an example by digging deep into the bedrock of our faith in 'JESUS CHRIST' for our families and those around us to follow.
Blessings
Michael Bragg