Storms should not surprise us when they come, yet we often find ourselves overwhelmed by their ferocity or rapidity. Like a child playing in the surf who is hit by an unexpected wave, before we can get up and wipe our face another one comes crashing in. Jesus predicted that storms would come into all of our lives, and that they would expose the foundations of what we are building. 

Jesus’ emphasis in this discourse was the necessity of building on “these words of mine.” All previous words from God had been partial and predictive. Jesus fulfilled the promises, prophecies, and predictions of the Old Testament spokesmen. His word is full and final. Building on anything less is certain foolishness. The storms of life serve to expose the false security we seem to accrue and the false theology we inevitably develop.