Making
Movies is the third studio album by British rock band Dire Straits,
released on 17 October 1980 by Vertigo Records internationally, and by
Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The album produced the
singles "Romeo and Juliet", and "Solid Rock" which reached the number 8
position on the UK Singles Chart. The album reached the number one
position on album charts in Italy and Norway, the number 19 position in
the United States, and the number four position in the United Kingdom.
Making Movies was certified platinum in the United States, and
double-platinum in the United Kingdom.
I made a castle in the sand
Saying this is where it's you know
Couldn't understand now
If I realised that the chances were slim
How come I'm so surprised when the tide rolled in
I wanna live on solid rock
I'm gonna live on solid rock
I wanna give I don't wanna be blocked
I'm gonna live on solid rock
Well I'm sick of potential
I'm sick of vanity now
I'm sticking to essential reality now
I don't know what's worse
Try to make a silk purse
Living an illusion living in confusion
Well a house of cards
Was never built for shock
You could blow it down in any kind of weather
Now two solid rocks two solid blocks
You know they're gonna stick
Yeah they're gonna stick together
Because the heart that you break
That's the one that you rely on
The bed that you make
That's the one you gotta lie on
When you point your finger cos your plan fell through
You got three more fingers pointing back at you
I wanna live on solid rock
I'm gonna live on solid rock
I wanna give I don't wanna be blocked
I'm gonna live on solid rock
I'm solid rock now
Dire
Straits "Solid Rock" lyrics contain the emotions of a breakdown in a
relationship and the desire not to repeat the situation again. There are
thoughts of hope here in this song combined with a desire to live in
security and safety away from mistakes of the past and future pain.
Whether this is achievable in this life is debatable, but the desire is
there for it at least. The scripture passage in this mornings devotion
is a passage from Jesus' parable of the wise and foolish builders in
Luke's Gospel chapter 6 where jesus compares life with either building a
house on the sand or building a house on a rock. It follows that the
wise are those who build their house on the sand.
Palestine
is naturally a land of hills and mountains, and as a result, it is
subject to violent rains and sudden floods. The Jordan River annually
swells to dangerous levels and becomes rapid and furious. The streams
that run through the hills can suddenly swell with rain and spill
tremendous amounts of water onto the plains below, sweeping everything
before them. Houses erected within reach of these sudden
deluges—especially those founded on sand or other unreliable
foundation—cannot stand before them. The rising stream shakes a house to
its foundation and erodes away its base until it falls. Rocks are
common there, however, so it is not hard to find a solid foundation.
With
this in mind, Jesus in this parable illustrates the benefit of obeying
His words. It is not enough to hear them; they must be obeyed. He
compares a person who hears and obeys Him to a man who builds his house
on a rock. Introducing the Parable of the Two Builders (Matthew
7:21-28), He says, "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and
does them, I will liken him to a wise man" (verse 24). He then describes
this wise man as building his house, that is, his whole life, on the
rock of genuine subjection to God. Conversely, the disobedient use unfit
material as the foundation of their lives.
Luke
describes the wise builder as digging deep and laying the foundation on
a rock. The Rock on which we build is Jesus Himself. In this parable,
Jesus teaches us the importance of doing as well as hearing. In His
description of the two builders, He judges them, not only by their care
in building their houses, but also by the foundation on which they
build. A rock foundation represents true understanding and right
action—true conviction and commitment manifested in righteousness. Only
in obedience and dedication to a personal relationship with Jesus the
Rock can we find emotional and spiritual stability—without which even
our most dedicated purposes rest on shifting sand.
Jesus
knew that some coming to build would be attracted to a ready-prepared
level surface of sand rather than to sites that must be excavated to
reach the hard and rugged rock. Human nature often chooses what looks
easy on the surface. But after the seasonal floods, representing trials
and tests, such a builder would have nothing left but a heap of ruins. A
sandy foundation represents empty preference and mere external religion
based on false knowledge. The sand reflects the shifting, uncertain
feelings some foolish people possess, the only ground upon which they
act. The second house, even though most impressive, stands on a shifting
foundation, and is therefore doomed to destruction. People whose
resolves do not rest on God's help sought in prayer—people who have
virtues without root—live in a dangerous position. The Pharisees built
their hopes on external blessings and privileges, which alienated their
minds from the Rock of their salvation. Jesus had to tell them that
Satan, not Abraham, was their father.
In
the wise and foolish builders, Jesus describes two categories in
illustrating the building of a house. Both houses appear equally
attractive and substantial, but their comparative stability differs
greatly. In their construction, the materials and labour used were
similar, and both houses appeared upright, solid, and sound. Many times,
seemingly good people who are uncalled seem to build their lives well
and wisely in terms of money, material possessions, and friends. All
these things seem good to the human mind, but their end can be
disastrous without a Rock foundation. The followers of Jesus build their
houses differently, by daily obedience, service, overcoming, Bible
study, and prayer.
Floods
and hurricanes can damage seemingly strong houses and destroy those
less strongly built. When Jesus says, "the rain descended," He compares
the times of testing to the forces of a rainstorm threatening the roof
of the house and the fears it creates. "The floods came" pictures
turbulent torrents undermining walls. "The winds blew" depicts sweeping,
hurricane-like winds threatening a house's walls. These combined
natural forces remind us that spiritual elements try and test our
spiritual houses just as God tested and punished Israel. Sometimes these
forces come in the way of persecution, suffering, or temptations—all of
which will erode a weak foundation, but not a solid one. Christ
describes the disaster descending on the house built on the sand as
"great [in] its fall." By doing so, He warns us to avoid a similar end.
Foolish builders should heed His warning and build on a solid Rock
foundation, that of Jesus Christ.
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