The Castle – June 30, 2019

For you have heard of my previous way of life . . . , how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.
Galatians 1:13

The Castle

Christian writer Greg Elder grew up along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. As a boy he used to spend long hours building intricate sand castles on the beach. However, one year he encountered trouble. For several days in a row, local bullies came by and used their bare feet to kick down whatever sand castle he was building.

Finally, this young boy had had enough. He decided to try an experiment. He started to build a sand castle as before, only this time he included cinder blocks and chunks of concrete as part of the base.

Once again, the local bullies showed up. Once again, they raised their bare feet to kick down his castle. This time, however, their tender feet collided with something that was not going to budge. As a result, several young men limped away in pain, they retired from the castle-kicking business, and little Greg Elder’s castle remained standing.

There are times when it seems as though Christianity is like a sand castle that all kinds of feet are trying to kick down. There’s the foot of our secular society, false doctrine, and cynics. And there’s the foot of our own sinful priorities.

Before the Apostle Paul came to faith in Jesus, kicking down the castle of Christianity was what he lived to do. As he did so, he thought he was being successful. But he soon discovered that the base of the castle was never going to budge because the base of the castle was Jesus Christ.

As you and I encounter the feet of those forces that are trying to kick down the castle of Christianity, don’t be afraid. Those tender feet are no match for the rock of our salvation. The same One who washed us clean at the cross is the One who lives and rules and will not be kicked into submission by anything. The castle of Christianity will stand.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, on you, the solid rock, I stand. When the troubles of life come, remind me that I have nothing to fear when I remain in you. Amen.