They gathered to teach history a lesson
Break new grounds, do what no one’s ever done
Leave their names on every lip, their awe in every land.
They built it high and made it great, their fame arose
And went so far. Inspiring, compelling, but suddenly
Quaking aroused concerned observers. Before the eyes
Of a hailing crowd, sinking sand opened wide its mouth
And in a twinkle of an eye, the mighty who once stood regal
Was no more. “It was your fault,” “Not it was yours,”
Squabbling went up and down, blaming back and forth
Fighting raged till they all went, each man his way
“What a loss, setting grand gems on sinking sand!”

Food For Thought: I love hymns and one of my all-time favorite is Edward Mote’s “Solid Rock.” All the toils we endure, all the wealth we amass, all the fame we attain, count but naught if the critical element is missing: God. All we are laboring to acquire are sinking sand, here today and gone tomorrow. They are all phantom, here a minute, gone the other. The big names and huge schemes we trusted in do not even survive the tides of present times. They will not cross the shores of eternity. What will count on that day is not how much we made, spent or saved. Our riches and inventions are only for here and now. Our monumental achievements, as individuals or groups will not count on the scales of eternity except they are founded in Christ. What will count is who we believed; how we regarded the testimony of God and His Son concerning our lives; what we did with our faith – the lives we touched, how we left those we met. These are treasures laid up, whose tangibility and durability will live beyond here and now, to earn us commendation or condemnation on that day. Let us not live like life is about what we can eat and drink and wear and use here on earth – it is so much more. Let us not live like the day of accountability will not come – the use of every gift will be weighed in light of what it was given for. Therefore, let us live like people who know what matters; who live what matters.

Scripture: Each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 1 Corinthians 3: 13.

Prayer: Dear Lord, let all I seek, all I give, and all I build, be to Your praise and glory, now and ever more, amen.