Good Morning Friends,
Grace has been defined as “unmerited favor.” Few stories in Scripture illustrate this more vividly than the grace shown to Jehoiachin. Though he did evil in the sight of the Lord and opposed Jeremiah, he remained popular with the people. Yet his sin and Judah’s, carried devastating consequences. Jerusalem was besieged, the temple stripped, and all but the poorest were taken into exile. Jehoiachin himself was imprisoned in Babylon.
We must never forget that a person’s sin affects far more than himself. The burning of Jerusalem and the loss of the holy vessels testify to that truth. And yet, after thirty‑seven long years, grace broke through. A new Babylonian king released Jehoiachin, spoke kindly to him, clothed him, seated him among the royal family, and provided for him daily. That is an unmerited favor indeed.
But grace always leads to the next question: Will we have the grace to rebuild on the right foundation?
Scripture Summaries:
2 Kings 24:8–17 Jehoiachin became king of Judah at eighteen and reigned only three months before Babylon besieged Jerusalem. Because of Judah’s persistent sin, God allows King Nebuchadnezzar to conquer the city. Jehoiachin, his family, officials, warriors, and skilled workers are taken into exile. The temple treasures are removed, and only the poorest people remain in the land. Nebuchadnezzar installs Zedekiah as a puppet king.
2 Kings 25:27–30- After thirty‑seven years in captivity, Jehoiachin is unexpectedly shown kindness by a new Babylonian king, Evil‑merodach. He is released from prison, given a place of honor among other captive kings, provided with new clothes, allowed to dine at the royal table, and granted a daily allowance for the rest of his life. The book of Kings ends with this small but significant sign of grace and hope.
Matthew 7:21–29- Jesus warns that not everyone who calls Him “Lord” will enter the kingdom, only those who do the will of the Father. He describes two builders: the wise one who builds on rock by hearing and obeying His words, and the foolish one who builds on sand by hearing but not obeying. When storms come, only the house on the rock stands. The crowds are astonished because Jesus teaches with divine authority.
Message: Perhaps how long we are willing to wait for grace depends on whether our faith is built on rock or on sand. Even amid the shifting sands of exile, the book of Kings ends with a quiet note of hope, God was not finished with His people. The monarchy had collapsed, but redemption was still unfolding.
So too today, the sins of our culture must be eroded away so that the bedrock of our spiritual and moral life can be rebuilt on Christ’s law of love. This is the only foundation that lasts. As C.S. Lewis once observed, “When the whole world is running towards a cliff, he who is running the opposite direction appears to have lost his mind.” Building on the rock will always look strange to a world rushing toward the sand. The point is that our culture often denies the truths of our faith and leads many into self‑destructive patterns. Yet instead of shouting doom from the street corners, we may find it more faithful to pray, to live exemplary lives, and to counsel the bewildered with grace. God still works miracles when His people listen to His call to love with purpose. Still the Day of Judgment will surprise many. Our hope is to build our lives on a good foundation, to trust God’s grace and love as best we can.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks into a volatile Jewish culture under Roman occupation. Their uncertainty echoed the Babylonian captivity, yet Jesus pointed them toward the hope of grace. He spoke of shifting sands and the wisdom of building one’s future on the rock of a relationship with God. In Hebrew, “sand” can mean both the secular and the shattered remains of what once stood. How fitting for a people longing for stability.
We too live in uncertain times. We can become bitter or better. We can cling to the sand or seek the rock. As G.K. Chesterton wrote, “We do not need a church that will move with the world. We need a church that will move the world.” That begins with each of us choosing the right foundation.
For graduates and for all of us, the world has changed. And we must learn, perhaps sooner than we wish, that beauty is sand. Reputation is sand. Popularity is sand. Money is sand. Career is sand. Health is sand. Talent is sand. Even friendships can shift like sand. But Jesus is the rock upon which we are to build.
T.S. Eliot once warned in The Rock: “All our knowledge brings us nearer to our ignorance… But nearness to death is no nearer to God.” A life built on sand collapses, no matter how impressive it appears.
And So keep studying Scripture. Build your life on the character and words of Jesus. Trust and love actively. Bear witness to the grace of God within you. That is how we withstand the coming storms, even if all our homes in Florida are built on sand.
Pray we weather the storms of life. Pray we see the foolishness of building apart from God. Pray we study His Word daily. Pray we believe He sets us free from sin. Pray we trust Him to supply our needs. Pray that our faith is not superficial. Pray our hearts become places of worship. Pray we practice the words of Jesus. Pray our faith is built on His love and righteousness. Pray for a living faith filled with grace and the hope of God’s unfolding purpose in holy history.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 