September 11, 2001, started like any other morning in New York City, but then everything changed. The first plane hit the North Tower at 8:46 a.m. Seventeen minutes later, the second plane hit the South Tower. Smoke and ash quickly filled the streets as the buildings came crashing down. However, just one block away from Ground Zero stood a small chapel, completely untouched. Its name is St. Paul’s Chapel. In the middle of all the chaos and destruction, the little chapel stood strong through it all and still stands today.
In Matthew chapter 7, Jesus closes the famous Sermon on the Mount with a story about two builders. One built his house on the rock, and the other built his on the sand. When the storms came, the house on the rock stood firm, but the one on the sand collapsed. Jesus said, “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” (Matthew 7:24-25).
Life will shake all of us at some point. The Bible says, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). It is not a matter of if the storm will come, but when and how bad. However, the solution isn’t to live our lives trying to avoid the storm. The solution is to build our lives on the rock of Christ so we can endure whatever comes, standing firm even when everything around us falls apart.
I know for me, there have been moments in my life when it feels like everything is crumbling around me. Problem after problem kept piling up, and just when I thought it was over, another one was on the way. However, in the middle of it all, I realized that I wasn’t standing on my own strength and I didn’t have to fight alone. I was standing on the firm foundation of Christ.
Psalm 46 reminds us, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea” (Psalm 46:1-2). And Isaiah 43:2 promises, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” So today, just like St. Paul’s Chapel stood untouched in the middle of chaos and destruction, we can stand firm through all of the storms of life. When we build our lives on the solid rock of Christ, trusting Him and putting His Word into practice, no challenge is too great, no pressure too heavy, and no storm too strong. We may face fire, floods, and fear, but with God as our refuge and strength, we will not be shaken.
The Bigger Picture: Just like the little chapel that stood, we can stand firm when our foundation is built on Christ.
The Bigger Picture 