Tonight I had to do something I’ve been quietly dreading for months, actually if truth be told, for years. It was to hug goodbye to one of our daughters and then get on a plane and fly to the other side of the country away from her.
Its something most parents think about and secretly hope they never have to do. From the moment we hold this little bundle of newborn loveliness in our arms we know the day will come when they will be all grown up and ready to “fly” away from us. We pray, teach, love, cuddle, impart, instruct, discipline and hopefully set a good example to them so that when a day like today comes they will be grown and ready enough to run with everything they’ve got within them into their future.
However today as I said goodbye I was also very thankful for a choice I made years ago, and that was to build my life and relationships on and around a rock solid foundation. It needed to be rock solid because storms have come, winds have blown, hard stuff has happened and change and days like today were inevitable.
Rock solid because it pays to know where and to whom we can depend on to steady us and who we can lean on when we most need to.
Rock solid because all around us are choices and the pressure that there are no longer any absolutes of truth. Without a rock solid foundation we can easily slide down the slippery slope of whatever feels good or blindly follow what everyone else is doing or thinking, rather than walking in wisdom and revelation of what is the right path for our lives.
Rock solid because we need the ground under us to be steady and sure so we always have a safe place to run to and stand upon when everything else can look and feel like sinking sand.
It needed to be rock solid because today I was able to lean on that solid, immovable, steadiness so I could do what every parent has to eventually do – stand back and watch their child go off to run their own race and follow the course God has mapped out for them.
Today as I boarded my plane I said goodbye to our little girl I turned to watch a beautiful, talented, intelligent, young woman walk into her new life. She’s chosen to follow her Dad and my example and to build her life on the most rock solid foundation I know – Jesus. She knows where to run to, who to stand and lean on and where to find the way and the truth for her journey – and for that I am extremely thankful and blessed. As for me I know that even though this really sucks (for lack of a better word), Jesus is holding my heart and steadying my steps and I’m going to be just fine.
Today whatever season of life you are in and whatever you may be facing I encourage you to turn and lean in on Jesus. He is rock solid and won’t let you down. Build your world upon Him, upon His words and upon the way He says to do life and I guarantee that when the challenges roll in and change comes at you like a freight train you will be able to stand strong and steady. Why? Because you have Jesus, The solid rock to support you, His words of wisdom to lead and guide you and His strong arms to provide comfort when you most need it…and yes you will be, like me, just fine.
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” (Matt 7:24-27)
Prayer: Lord thank you that you offer to us a solid and sure foundation. That you are the “rock” who we can turn and hold onto when everything else feels and looks like sinking sand, and upon whom we can build our relationships and lives. Please help me to remember that you are there to support and strengthen me through every season of my life and with you I’m going to be fine. In Jesus name Amen.
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