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Matthew 7:24-29 (NIV)
The Wise and Foolish Builders
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” 28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
Centuries before, when Moses lead the people through the wilderness, God renewed his covenant with Israel. Moses said, “‘You have seen all that the Lord did … the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, and those great wonders. But to this day the Lord has not given you a heart to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear”. (Deut 29:2-4) They had heard God, but their hearts were not moved. Looking at them through the eyes of our Matthew 7 text, they were unwise. This teaching echoes throughout the ages. Let us, this day, have ears to hear. Let us hear God’s word and put it into practice. Today, I invite you to pray that God will prepare you for our Lenten Journey: that our eyes would be open, our ears unstopped and our hearts soft, ready to learn and grow as God leads us on.