I have a lot of dreams. Like a lot. And honestly, sometimes I get tired of them. Because a lot of times my dreams are of fires, and terrorist attacks, and storms, and floods… you know all the bad things.
I have good dreams too, but bad dreams are alarming and leave me shaky.
One of my disaster dreams was that I was living in a house of cardboard. This dream was a great reminder to never build a house out of cardboard. In the dream I was in the house as it caught fire, and well, the fire consumed and destroyed the house really fast.
And then the house was built again, and again it was built of cardboard, and wouldn’t you know, the same thing happened again. I remember being distraught in the dream, because my home kept being destroyed.
More on the dream in a minute…
Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”
1 Peter 2:7
It was 5 years ago today. My husband and I were stuck a real life disaster, but this was not a dream. This was reality. We were on vacation, and it was going to be 6 days of beach, pool, and our favorite local restaurants. But that is not what happened. God allowed us to be present during the category 5 hurricane (named Maria) that hit Puerto Rico in 2017. During the storm, I remember having full confidence that the house we were in was secure. The house was unshakable, and never swayed. I haven’t written about it in a while, but you can read about our experience here).
I don’t think about this much anymore. It happened so long ago. And 5 years definitely feels like about 10 now-a-days. But back in June, while on vacation in Florida, it was brought up in conversation. I was spending time with my uncle, whose house we were at when the hurricane hit.
“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.”
Matthew 7:25
We were sitting and talking on the last day of vacation, while we waited for a much smaller storm to pass. It was a tropical storm that had prevented me from going home that day. He said to me “this is probably nothing for you, considering the storm in Puerto Rico, huh?”
He was right. Yet, I told him that during the storm I had known we would be okay, and one reason I knew that was because we knew his house had been so well built. The foundation was strong, and we knew it. That was one reason why we felt so fearless.
Now, I didn’t know how well built it actually was until this conversation. He shared with me how secure the foundation of the house was, and how far down the supports went into the ground. I had known the house was strong, and felt how strong it was as the storm raged just outside the walls where we abided. But the house was more even secure that I could knew at the time. That house would not be swayed by even the strongest storm.
It was really easy, in that moment to reflect that truth to how God works in our lives. He goes before us. Prepares the way. And way before we even realize. His firm foundation was set, and it was set before He formed us in our mother’s womb, and called us by name.
That is how much He loves us.
Back to my dream…
I have to admit that sometimes, my life can feel a bit like that cardboard house. Like a little spark or flame, will completely destroy it. Or be blown down by wind and waves. Washed away in sinking sand.
But after the third time in my dream that the house burned down, I came across 3 men (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). These men were all standing, making plans on how to build a house that lasts. The house would be a firm foundation. It wouldn’t be made of cardboard, or things that can be destroyed. It was made of solid rock. And fire wouldn’t be able to destroy it. Neither would wind or rain, or the strongest storm.
And this is what our time during the hurricane affirmed for us.
When the foundation of the house was being built, God had me in mind. Likewise, when God was laying the foundation of the earth, He had us in mind. Jesus tells us that anyone who hears His words and does them, will be like a wise man who builds his house on a rock. I can sum this up in one word. Obedience. And when we are obedient, when the winds come, and the waves come, our foundation will be secure.
We will look back and testify that God’s firm foundation is even stronger than we can even think or imagine.
Therefore thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.” Isaiah 28:16
When we know how strong our foundation is in Christ, we can be fearless. We. who believe in Him, will not be disturbed. When we deeply know that Jesus is the precious cornerstone that prevents a structure from collapsing, we can stand in firm confidence that our foundation will not be shaken. He was tested, tried, and overcame the grave.
This is a beautiful truth.
So, whenever we wonder if God cares, or sees us, we must remember Jesus, because He is a firm foundation that we can stand on. The Solid Rock, which the gates of hell can never prevail against… Jesus Christ.
