our daily bread

[Dexu Xia]

Table Rock

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”  Luke 6:46

A large, illuminated cross stands erect on Table Rock, a rocky plateau overlooking my hometown. Several homes were built on neighboring land, but recently the owners have been forced to move out due to safety concerns. Despite their close proximity to the firm bedrock of Table Rock, these homes aren’t secure. They have been shifting atop their foundations—nearly three inches every day—causing risk of major water pipes breaking, which would accelerate the sliding.

Jesus compares those who hear and obey His words to those who build their homes on rock (Luke 6:47–48). These homes survive the storms. By contrast, He says homes built without a firm foundation—like people who don’t heed His instruction—cannot weather the torrents.

On many occasions, I’ve been tempted to ignore my conscience when I knew God asked more of me than I had given, thinking my response had been “close enough.” Yet the homes in the shifting foothills nearby have depicted for me that being “close” is nowhere near enough when it comes to obeying Him. To be like those who built their homes on a firm foundation and withstand the storms of life that so often assail us, we must heed the words of our Lord completely.

Help me, Lord, to obey You fully and with my whole heart. Thank You for being my firm foundation.

God’s Word is the only sure foundation for life. 

岩桌

“你们为什么称呼我‘主啊，主啊！’却不遵我的话行呢？”-路加福音6章46节

有个巨大且夜里会发光的十字架，矗立在俯视我家乡的岩石高地“岩桌区”上。在岩桌区周围的土地上，有好些人在那里盖了房屋，但最近这些屋主却因为安全考量而被迫迁离。虽然他们的房子很靠近基石坚固的岩桌区，但根基仍然不稳固。房子的地基几乎每天向上移动8公分，这增加了主要水管破裂的风险，也将加速房子的滑动。

耶稣把那些听见祂的话并遵行的人，比拟为将房子盖在磐石上的人（路加福音6章47-48节），他们的房屋经得起狂风暴雨。相反地，有些人的房屋没有稳固的根基，就像那些不留意耶稣教导的人，将会无法撑过洪流。

在许多情况中，我明明知道自己所做的，没有完全遵照上帝的吩咐，但却故意忽略这样的感觉，觉得我的回应已经够“接近”上帝的要求了。但那些盖在岩桌区周围，根基浮动的房屋，给我很好的启示，让我明白若谈到顺服上帝，“接近”是远远不够的。我们必须完全听从并遵行上帝的话语，才能像那些把房子盖在坚固地基上的人一样，能胜过生命中那些经常攻击我们的风暴。

主，帮助我能全心顺服祢。
谢谢祢成为我坚固的根基。

上帝的话语是生活中唯一可靠的根基