In August 1992, Hurricane Andrew devastated the Bahamas, Florida and Louisiana. In his book Standing Tall, Steve Farrar shares the following true story.
A TV news camera crew was on assignment in southern Florida filming the widespread destruction of Hurricane Andrew.
In one scene, amid the devastation and debris, stood one house on its foundation. The owner of the house was cleaning up the yard when a reporter approached him.
“Sir, why is your house the only one in the entire neighborhood that is still standing?” asked the reporter. “How did you manage to escape the severe damage of the hurricane?”
“I built the house myself,” the man replied. “I also built it according to the Florida State building code. When the code called for 2x6 roof trusses, I used 2x6 trusses. I was told that a house built by code could withstand a hurricane. I did, and it did. I suppose no one else around here followed the code.”
When the sun is shining and the skies are blue, building our lives on something other than the guidelines in God’s Word can be tempting. But there is a hurricane coming – for everyone.
It is tempting to “cut corners” in life; to do just enough to “get by”. But there can be devastating consequences.
How are you building your life? Your marriage? Your home? Your character? Your Christian witness?
Are you “cutting corners”? Are you doing what is easy and avoiding what is challenging? Are you using the 2x6 trusses because they are what is required and will last? Or are you using 2x4s because they are cheaper?
Are you making the Hard decisions? The Necessary decisions? It is a harder way to live, but the end result is worth it. There is Blessing for obedience and Cursing for disobedience, for carelessness.
It is not a “one and done” decision! We need to make good decisions – the ones that will bring blessing – everyday, maybe many times a day. Are you willing to make the good, but hard, decisions?
Do you want a home that will survive a hurricane? Or one that will be torn apart, like all the others around it?
We will continue our new teaching series, Seven Letters to your Church, this Sunday, October 11, with the second letter, this time to the church in Smyrna: Take Heart (Revelation 2:8-11). Please invite someone to share it with you!
Hopefully you can join us in person at 10:35am since we will not be able to have a Live broadcast this week. Good News: Next week, October 18, the service will be Live on both Facebook plus our YouTube channel! Please share our online resources with others so they can be encouraged also.
Mahalo and Aloha ke Akua!