Once a famous architect wanted to design and build a different house. Disillusioned by the suffering, wars and aimlessness of the world he saw around him, he wanted his building to reflect this. So if you entered this house you would find doors which led to nowhere, a staircase that did not lead to the upper floor, pillars in the middle of the hall for no apparent reasons and windows that opened into nothing. He managed to deceive many people into thinking that this house had many things which it did not in fact have. His argument was that if life had no scope why should you  build a house with a scope. Someone however asked him: What about the foundations – are they also just make believe? The architect did not reply. Why? You can fool around with anything but not with the pediment of a building.  Unfortunately our society is also joking around with both the infrastructure and the foundations. If we do no build on rock, our house will fall.

“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.  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.  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.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”  Matt. 7:24-27

What is the rock the wise man build his house on? In the Bible ‘rock’ is one of the names given to God ‘ He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.’  Deut. 32:4 

This rock is ‘our’ rock ‘my rock’, our Father, our personal Saviour.

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of mord ; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.  Psalm 95:1

One of the main characteristics of a rock is that unlike the passing day, the withering flowers, the trees losing their leaves, rocks remain steadfast and unchanging. That is God. He does not change, He remains constant in His love and faithfulness. You can really rely on Him ‘And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.’  1 John 4:16

Moreover the Rock is a place of shelter. In the Old Testament the cleft (cavity) of the rock was the place where Moses sheltered so that he could gaze at God (Exodus 33:22). According to the Church Fathers this prefigures Jesus human nature, which allows us to enter into contact with God without being overwhelmed by His glory. As Jesus says “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.’ John 14:9

Having Risen from the dead, Jesus is the rock that accompanies us through our history. (1 Cor 10:4) He is the cornerstone on which the whole Church itself is built. This stone was placed in the extreme corner of a building and was used as the first stone around which all the other stones were then placed. If it is not right, the whole building will be off !! It’s purpose was to establish a firm and sure foundation which doesn’t collapse. Indeed God said ‘For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." (1 Peter 2:6,)

One cannot forget that we cannot pick and choose which words of Jesus to follow and which ones we wish to change or ignore. Indeed the Word of God, referring to Jesus says He is  “A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message — which is also what they were destined for.  1 Pet. 2:8

The word ‘rock that makes them fall’ in Greek is skandalon which was a stick or a rock that would make an animal trip and fall into a trap. Many people do not accept the high standards of the teaching of Jesus and they ‘trip’ up in His call to forgive those who hurts us, to be sexually pure, to seek God’s Kingdom first and so many other things.

We should not get discouraged. If God is a rock, we human beings should be rock climbers. Rock climbers hold fast to the rock thyme are climbing – they literally stick to it with hands and feet. We need to cling to Jesus and in this way become little rocks and stones ourselves.(1 Peter 2:5)

The Rock, our God is a Rock of tenderness and love. The only time in the Bible when someone says ‘I love you’ to God, he is addressing God as a rock. ‘I love you, O Lord, my Rock.’  Psalm 18:1

Looking at God our Rock is meant to drive our of fear and insecurity and instill in us awe and respect. We are called to climb this rock and to build our houses, our lives on Him. Then when life is stormy we shall stand and endure.