Stability

 STABILITY

It's full speed ahead - we are overbooked, engaged in more activity than time permits and starting to forget appointments. If this were the squirrel Kingdom, it's a time where everybody's scurrying around and gathering nuts.  Probably not a bad idea except nuts are not enough to survive in the next storm.

At the Men’s Conference this year the focus was on one word, “stability”. That's right STABILITY. The definition of stability not surprisingly is “the state of being stable, firm, solid.  Not a glamorous word. Not one of those nuance or buzz words. Pretty vanilla.

Stability is one of those words I haven't really used or heard in a while. Last time I recall it being used it referred to the preferred status of a young man seeking to date someone's daughter. In other words, does he have a car, does he have a job and does he have a place to live??  In broader application stability also means immovable, not wavering or tossed around; not venturing or aloof.

Information, technology, ideas and ideology are all morphing at an accelerated speed.  Seasons of change, natural and manmade disasters, system breakdowns, disease, health, life and career changes happen so abruptly and unexpectantly.  Think about it.  This time next year my blog might solely be written by AI and you might not even be aware of it.   Because we are in this revolution of change we need to embrace something…stable. 

Jesus said, “Therefore anyone 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 NIV 

We are all building something. The “house” we are all building is a life, a legacy and all it contains.   Will it endure the storms of life, the seasons of change? Only with a proper stable foundation. 

Let’s look again at the scripture. First, we must listen to the words and teaching of Jesus. What words? The whole teaching of Jesus, not just the words we want to hear. Then, we must act on them and put them in practice.  No matter the circumstance, no matter the pressure.

What are you building your house on?   Who will offer stability in your family in times of trouble?  Will you be sufficiently rooted during the winds of change? Who will stand firm when others are bolting. Who will remain solid during the storms of life. What does stability look like for you in everyday life in the trenches?  Let Jesus be that rock of stability.  Our job is to be firmly in Jesus.    

Want a condensed version of being Rooted firmly in Jesus?   Try out these seven rhythms or habits:

·         Weekly Worship and Rest

·         Daily Prayer and Bible Reading

·         Financial Generosity

·         Connecting in Life Groups

·         Serving in Church

·         Serving in the World

·         Telling others about Jesus

You could say last year was one of those seasons of unexpected change for me.  Covid, sinus infection, broken leg, car totaled and the heart attack.  What was my rock? My foundation during this time?  Reflecting daily on the words of Jesus, a loving family, a rock-solid Life Group and a Church family bent on being fully devoted followers of Jesus.

Except from an old Hymn “On Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand”.  

Brent Sinclair Associate Pastor of Adult Ministry