The Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock

On the Wee Sing Bible Songs CD, this song gets special treatment.  We do movements along with the words – jazz hands down for “the rain came down” and jazz hands up for “the floods came up.”  My girls’ favorite part is one we added on:  a big raspberry after “the house on the sand went SPLAT!”  You gotta be silly sometimes!

The wise man built his house upon the rock, (x3)

And the rains came tumbling down.

The rains came down and the floods came up (x3)

And the house on the rock stood firm.

The foolish man built his house upon the sand (x3)

And the rains came tumbling down

The rains came down and the floods came up (x3)

And the house on the sand went SPLAT!

So build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ (x3)

And the blessings will come down!

The blessings will come down as the prayers go up (x3)

So build your house on Christ!

I was thinking about this song in church this Sunday when our pastor was preaching on Matthew 6.  In verse 18, Jesus  says,

I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

What an amazing blessing from God—to be proclaimed the rock!  Think “bedrock” or “rock-solid” – these are phrases that announce strength, faithfulness, reliability, and value.  Peter must have been so thrilled and encouraged!

But just five verses later, Peter is called a different kind of rock.  When Jesus explained to his disciples that he was going to be tortured and killed, Peter exclaimed, “No Lord!”  Then Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Get behind me, Satan!  You are a stumbling block to me;  you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”  A stumbling block is a hindrance, an obstacle to be avoided, and something that could do real damage if you trip over it.

Of course, we know how the story ends—Peter has some shaky moments, including denying Christ three times, but ultimately his faith in Jesus wins, and God does indeed use Peter as the foundation of the Church.  It is a reminder to me that every day we have to chose what kind of rock we are going to be.  Will we be a bedrock, solid in our faith, and available to be a source of stability and help to our family, friends, and whomever God places in our path that day?  Or will we be a stumbling block, to ourselves and others, hindering God’s plan in our lives?  The only way to make sure we will be the right kind of rock is to check OUR foundation:  the Word of God and faith in Christ.

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Please pray this with me:  Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.  Make me a rock to be built upon in others’ lives—faithful, loyal, and supportive.  Keep me grounded in Your Word and Your will.  Thank you for giving us Jesus, to build our lives on.  We praise You and bless You today!  Amen.