THANKFUL

Chatting with Jesus

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Lord, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard, “Are you listening to me?” With good intentions, my parents always warned me about the life lessons I would eventually face. Foolishly, there were times when my rebellious nature emerged, and I would respond with a snarky, “Yeah, I hear you!” Not listening had its consequences, and I’ve been a slow learner. This attitude often led me straight to the woodshed.

Coming from a family of pastors and biblical teachers, a favorite passage they used to “reprimand” me came from Matthew 7:24–27. This story is about two homebuilders who constructed their houses on different foundations:

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, just like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain falls in torrents, and the floodwaters rise, and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. However, anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come, and the winds beat against that house, it will come crashing down with a mighty crash.”

Lord, you didn’t warn us “if” the storms of life would come, but “when” the storms come. We have two options: we can put our faith in you and trust that you will see us through if we follow your teachings and apply your principles. Despite the storms, we will survive and come out even stronger. However, if we hear Your teachings but dismiss them as irrelevant, we will face the consequences of our choices. Lord, even if we might suffer for a while, in your sovereignty, you always orchestrate our circumstances for our good.

Help me always to listen to you, Jesus. Amen.