“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.” – Matthew 7:24-25

The Lighthouse of Alexandria rose over 400 feet high, and stood on the island of Pharos in the harbor of Alexandria, Egypt. Considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, it became so famous that the word pharos came to mean lighthouse.

Built during the reign of Ptolemy II (283-246 B.C.) from a design by the Greek architect Sostratos, it rose from a stone platform in three sections. The bottom section of the lighthouse was square, the middle eight-sided, and the top circular. A fire burned at the top of the lighthouse providing light. When the building was completed, Sostratos chiseled his own name on a stone that was part of the building. He did not want it to be readily visible and so he covered it with mud and whitewash. On top of that Sostratos wrote with gold letters the king’s name, knowing that over a short period of time the waves would wash the gold and mud away and his own name would appear. The Lighthouse of Alexandria stood as an architectural marvel for about 1,500 years with Sostratos’ name emblazoned upon it.

The only monuments that last are those that are done in obedience to Christ. Gold and riches soon disappear, but those works done in obedience are built on the Rock of Christ. Do you want to do something that has lasting significance? Today in prayer, ask the Lord what He would have you to do and be faithful in following Him.

“Obedience is the Child of trust.” – John Climacus

God’s Words: “I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is 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.” – Luke 6:47-48

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2001, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN MATTHEW pkennedy@devotional.com