The story of building a city…

Dan Harper October 07, 2025 0 0

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Luke 6: 46-49 (NIV)

46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

Have you ever built a shed? Have you ever built a house? Have you ever built a city? If you have built any of these things, or even if you haven’t, would you consider rock and roll to be a suitable foundation? In 1985 the debut single of the American rock band Starship suggested that a suitable foundation for a city was, surprisingly: rock and roll.

This seemed silly to me for a long time in my youth, until, later in my teens that I care to admit, I realised that a foundation can be both a literal and metaphorical thing.

In our reading we are directed to build our houses on a strong foundation. To be wise and build our house upon a rock. And whilst this is sound construction advice, it is a thinly veiled metaphor telling us to build our lives on the foundation of Christ’s teaching. And doing so will help us (rock and) roll with the punches that come our way.

A life built on the foundations of love and justice, the foundations that allow us to stick to God, as much as God sticks with us, gives us resilience to live with all that life throws at us.

Prayer:

Dear God, help us to build the cities of our life on your rock, and hold onto you as we roll with the punches of life.