“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18

Getting into my attic is a process much like opening a combination lock. Every step has to be done – in order. So when I had to get something from up there, I got started and followed the process from memory. Get ladder, lean it against the refrigerator, walk up 2 steps to unlatch and open hinged door, climb down, move ladder and re-position, climb up, climb down and reverse process! I was at the ‘re-position’ step when I got into trouble!

I was in a hurry when I set the ladder. Since I could see what I wanted.. right there at the edge of the attic… I knew I didn’t need to climb ALL the way up, only about 4 steps was needed. When I hit the 3rd step, the ladder started to shuffle. I stopped! Like an automatic reflex, my memory engaged as I ‘remembered’ the time I DIDN’T stop… and ended up on the floor! Accidents like that are excellent teachers. I got down, re-positioned the ladder so it was sturdy on its foundation and then proceeded.

The Bible verse today has a puzzle within itself. The name that Jesus used, ‘Peter’ sounds similar to the word ‘stone.’ If this verse is read out of order or context, it SOUNDS like Jesus is saying that ‘Peter’ is the foundation stone upon which Jesus will build His Church! Being part of ‘The Church,’ and given Peter’s unreliability toward most things reasonable, it makes me nervous that ‘open mouth insert foot’ PETER would become THE foundation for Christ’s Bride.

The Bible tells us that ‘The Church’ would be built upon Himself… He being the Chief Cornerstone and the FOUNDATION of her existence. Therefore, the verse could be read like this; “You are Peter (a little stone) but upon ME (The BIG Rock) I will build my church (see Corinthians 3:11). I love that! Christ clearly affirms that HE is the firm foundation upon which I must place my little, rocky life. And that only HE can hold me up.

I have had a LOT of accidents along the way of life. Like Peter, I can get into trouble without even trying. But I have a rather LARGE MEMORY BANK that continues to grow. It affirms and reminds me that the best thing I can do, when running through my life unbalanced, is to turn my stony life over to Jesus Christ and re-position my center upon HIM. He promises that if I do, that I WON’T fall, or that He will ultimately ‘catch me’ if I do!