Of Redwoods and Rivers and Sand Dunes
“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. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.”
Matthew 7:24-26
Are you up for a bit of adventure today ladies? We’re about to enter Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. Feast your eyes on the largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in perhaps all the world, stretching 50 plus miles south to north between 101 and the Pacific. The National Forest Service maintains this area; their brochure and plaques along the way fill in the stats. For instance, the foredunes nearest the beach can be 25-50 feet high, while those further inland—average, 2.5 miles—rise maybe 200 feet, the record being 500 feet.
Climb the wooden staircase provided by the Park Service. Get a bird’s eye view of the variety of shapes sculpted over time by the summer winds and winter storms. Walk out onto the sand as far as you like. Alternately join the dune buggy or sand bike riders, or “sandboard” down after you climb up. We chose to scramble up one of those 25-50 foot dunes to overlook the beach. Believe me, it was a struggle but I made it. Alas, my husband’s new knees refused to navigate the backwards pull of the loose sand.
Jesus’ admonition to not build your house on sand came to mind. How foolish we say—no one would do that; but then there are countless stories of beach houses too close to the surf and cliff houses sliding down the hill.
Of course Jesus’ illustration was not for the home builder, but for the crowds gathered to hear what we call the Sermon on the Mount. His string of teachings “amazed” them, because he taught as one who had authority (7:28-29). Surely they would do as He said. We soon find out that being amazed at the authority of His teaching, and believing and acting on it, are two different things.
The sand of the Oregon Dunes was sedimentary rock broken off from the coastal mountains, tumbled around and carried by the rivers to the sea. Jesus’ words were rock solid. The Pharisees of that day had broken off what they wanted to believe, chewed it up, and spit it out in a myriad of rules and regulations that no longer resembled truth—and they didn’t half follow those. It’s even more evident today in the half-truths the world feeds us. Are you going to the Rock to build your foundation on?
Nancy P
